A Fragment of a Fragment
by True-InTha-Blue
Summary: What if it wasn't Ventus who influenced Sora throughout his Journey? What if it was another, something darker? A half heart, broken but still lingering. Vanitas now has an opportunity to mold Sora into what he wishes. Will our Hero still be the same Savior of Light, or will he be a Harbinger of Darkness? Journey in this retelling of the Kingdom Hearts! Main Pairing: Sokai.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello Readers:  
****I am True-InTha-Blue  
For those who know me,  
Why am I not updating FOSTA: Unova?  
I am still struggling to write for it and I while I wish to go back to it, I am not going to push myself.**

**So... My other favorite series that I really really have always wanted to write for, is Kingdom Hearts.  
So after the release of KH3 and playing (and completing) the game, I thought it would be the perfect time to finally start this series.  
I have had a lot of KH ideas in the past.  
But I think this is a plot sorely needed in the fanfiction premise.**

**I've seen a few of these but never really felt natural.  
This is NOT a Sora OP fic.  
I want to present new challenges and more emotional turmoil.  
I still want to keep the charm of KH and hope I can do as service.  
**

**Vanitas is a fascinating character. Very unlike other villains in his backstory and motivations. The very nature of him leaves many  
'What ifs?' and I like that potential.**

**I also really like Sora.  
And Kairi  
And I want to expand on that.  
And I desire to make the adventures in the various of Disney worlds, more expansive and more.. actual worlds.**

**So I hope you enjoy this**

**This will contain spoilers for Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep, and we'll work our way up.  
Disclaimer: Square Enix Characters belong to Square Enix. And Disney Characters belong to Disney.  
Nothing belongs to me.**

* * *

_A Fragment of a Fragment  
_Chapter 1

He was a fading existence.

A fragment of a fragment does not really exist, does it?

After everything. All that pain, suffering... Isolation... Rejection... Sadness.

All for nothing.

A half-complete existence that even the original didn't want. An incomplete heart.

An unaccomplished life.

What a joke.

All his hopes, dreams (if he even had those) and purpose, poured into that X-blade... and even that... didn't want him.  
It failed.

Looks like he was a puppet after all  
The old man... Said he could finally become whole by forming it... by fusing with his half. But that didn't work.

He couldn't get his Light... no matter how hard he tried.

He was played. Played to the whims of the old fool.

He was the fool.

Who would want him anyway?

A dark existence who can produce no light of his own.

He was fading...

...

Why?

Why could he not be accepted?  
Why could he not find his Light?

Why could he not have a whole Heart?

He hoped... that _She_ would make sure the old fool failed.

After all...

He thought to become one with her first...

He if did... things... would... have... been...

...

X

So long.

What was time?

What was what?

These thoughts were not... there...

What was thinking?

_Broken..._

_Fragment..._

_Damaged..._

Pain... and sadness were familiar.

"_Oh! You're here too?"_

Here?  
Where?

...

Who?

"_You're smaller than the other one? Do... Do you need healing too?"_

Healing?...

"_**...l-light... I just... want... a heart."**_

A heart of darkness doesn't really make an actual heart.

"_You... don't have a heart? Why?"_

"_**B..b-bro-...ken..."**_

Why was this... talking to him?

No... one... wanted...  
"_You sound even sadder than him... Maybe... I can help you too!"_ This person sounded so hopeful.  
So pure.

Maybe he would laugh at it... if he remembered how to laugh.

"_**H-help...?"**_

"_Yeah! Maybe I can help you find your heart! You can stay here until we do."_

"_**..."**_

What was this?

This feeling?  
He was so tired.

So tired of being in pain.  
So tired of being sad.  
So tired of being alone.

"_**...Okay."**_

For the first time in his existence... Vanitas felt warmth.

* * *

Warm.

So warm.

Not burning or scorching or pain.

Just warmth.

It was so nice.

This was light.

So much light.

The sound of waves gently greeted his ears. The smell of salt and flora lulled his eyes to open.

The sky was so bright.

The Sun's rays reached to every corner.

He felt his limbs...

Limbs?

He had a form.

He got up, looked at him. Skin covered with a black and red organic material, a second skin almost. He felt metal around his jaw and something over his face but he could see clearly.

Who was he?

The figure got up. Wondering where he was.  
Everything felt so good here. The air was nice and clean, the sound of waves was calming, soothing.

'_I feel like I never had this before.'_

The figure looked around, curious. A large sea spread before him with crystal blue waves and an equally expansive sky.

Sand was around his boots, nearly pale white. The wind rustled the bright green trees both palm and bushy. The land was shaped by haphazard wood structures and huts. Ladders were sporadically spread to reach higher platforms. A pool and waterfall sprang forth from the walls.  
It was quaint, it was peaceful, it was soothing.  
And the figure knew he had never felt anything like it.

He slowly wandered around, taking his time. He was the one solely there... but it always felt like someone was next to him... welcoming. Inviting him to partake.  
The slow trail he made for his body felt like things were a dream, light as air, each breath taken with a refreshing briskness that eased his body. Even when he wandered into a shaded path, the coolness even more so felt safe and quiet. His body seemed to become more alive in this shade. A relaxation in his veins.

Then he noticed a small cave covered in moss. It was very dark... but he felt intrigued by it. He crawled in, the spindly path directed by the smooth rocky walls Yet even in this dark corridor with narrow paths and deep somber winds, did a faint light illuminate things clearly.

Almost a blue mist drifted low to the ground. Further in the figure walked, his curiosity growing. Until he walked into a large area with a single ray of light piercing through an opening from the ceiling rocks. The walls were sparsely decorated with nonsensical drawings that were undefined.

Most importantly, there was an opening, like an open doorway.

One into an abyss of darkness.

The figure felt no fear at this darkness.

After all he...

He...

...

'_What?... I what... What is I?" _Memories were unavailable, everything felt... blank... Except... Except.

Pain and Sadness.

He knew, that he had felt those before... that they were a part of him. So deeply intertwined into the makeup of his being.  
But why?

That, the figure did not know.

But, what he did know, besides the pain and sadness, was that wherever he was, kept them at bay.

On the other hand... he wanted to figure out what this place was exactly...  
And who he was.

Frustration... Another familiar emotion.

Without hesitation, he walked into the void.

And stepped into a realm with pillars of glass and the abyss filled with mist and fog, drifting between white and black and grey.

Bright blue stained glass with a rim of black crowns, the center held images of a raft, tribal mask, fishing spears, wrenches, mushrooms, a mobile with fish, stars and moon and in the center of this large platform, was a star-shaped fruit. Around was a scene depicting a familiar beach.

Simple desires.  
Simple treasure.  
All so pure in a young heart.

Yet the figure did not know of this.

However, the platform... rang a bell in his head.

He had been to a place like this before... More complicated.  
More broken.

Why?

The frustration was growing and the dreaming haze of his mind was fading. If went further, if he went deeper... he would know.

He paused.

'_Do... Do I want to know?'_

A foreboding feeling was beginning to weld up and the warmth of the beach was already sorely missed.  
For he knew it was not really his to have. His feet moved forward into a path that appeared in the fog, each a square of glass and color. Every step was a small chime and dulled in the abyss. Further and further he passed mirrors of scenes and moving images, surrounded by chains. Most blurred but each emitted light and that familiar warmth glowed whenever he passed them.

However, that frustration and want to _know_ kept the figure from peering into them.

He trudged further, a platform depicting different tropical scenes, each with that stained glass motifs.

Until finally, finally further down where light dimmed, and the fog was thick, did the Figure felt drawn to a shining light in the center.  
A light that felt different.

And upon reaching it, did it take shape...

Of him.  
_Ventus_

And the first thing the figure felt. For sure, for real, and focused his mind:

Was Hatred.

"**You."** The figure spat at the sight of the peaceful sleeping form of his light half.

The memories were rushing back, all that pain and anger and sadness rushed in over and over and over.

The darkness that was himself.  
The half-existence.  
The unwanted fragment.

_Empty creature of Ventus Riven..._

Vanitas.

It all came rushing back. The fight with the X-Blade. Him... struggling to maintain his existence and Ventus just shattered both their hearts along with the blade.

Rejected!

_**Like everything else!**_

His so-called 'life'!  
The endless cycle of pain that everyone including himself inflicted upon him!  
The blasted Keyblade War.  
The Old Fool's plans.  
Those idiots!

_Kingdom Hearts_

Vanitas' helmet faded away revealing the hostile yellow eyes and black hair.

"Y-You! YOU!" His rage was so unfathomable that he could hardly speak. Instead, he slashed out his hand expecting Void Gear to appear.

It didn't.

"Huh?" Caught off guard, he stared at the empty hand. He tried again, and again... He could feel the connection to his keyblade... but it wasn't... coming...

He tried getting a blast of fire to throw into his idiot half's face.

Nothing came.

"C'MON!" The dark half snarled frustrated that he had access to nothing to inflict a fraction of the pain he himself suffered upon Ventus.

Too fed up, he rushed at the boy only to find his hands blocked by something very solid and very visible. Briefly, it illuminated as a sphere around Ventus, completely protecting the Wayward Wind wielder.

But still, Vanitas kept banging his fist against it. Over and over and over again.

And again.

And again.

Who knows how long he had been doing this? He kept at it until his fists throbbed in pain, and yet still he weakly beat against the wall while sliding towards his knees.  
His grunts of frustration and rage turning into small whimpers of tears and desperation.

"WHY?!" Vanitas finally cried out. The first time, he cried out, all his bravado finally gone. There was no one else here... So why hide it?

"WHY CAN'T YOU ACCEPT ME?!" He glared angrily through the tears at the peaceful face of the light half.  
"NOT EVEN WHEN I WAS A PART OF YOU FROM THE BEGINNING-! DID YOU EVER WANT ME!"

The truth, the full truth, and his feelings came bursting out after so many years of keeping them as controlled as possible. Only the Unversed being the only sign of his true emotions.

"I just wanted to be whole! I JUST WANTED TO HAVE SOMETHING!" He heaved, unused to feeling so desperate, so bare. It felt like the first time the Unversed showed up... when he discovered the full misery of his existence.  
"You have no idea what it was like! YOU FORGOT! FORGOT ABOUT ALL THAT PAIN! I remember! I remember! All your sadness! All your agony! EVERYTHING YOU DISLIKED! I GOT IT!... Everything."

From even beyond Master Xehanort...That horror of watching everything fade. The prior 'teachings' of the old fool inflicted upon Ventus, Vanitas remembered and felt it all and more.

All bad things Ventus felt in his new life, Vanitas felt it... and had nothing to counter it.

"I just wanted Light... I just wanted to know..." He felt his chest, unsure if there was actually a heart there or not... maybe just a void.  
"Even just being a small thing of darkness... in your heart... I was happy... I could still at least be near light..." he snarled again. "But no... I couldn't even have that... I didn't want to be created! **I DON'T WANT TO LIVE!"**

His head fell on the wall with a loud 'thunk', his eyes blurry from all those chaotic emotions he hated so much about himself.

"The X-blade... was my only hope... There was no way... No other way." His words died out, nothing greeted him in this place. Especially, not Ventus.

"I hate you," Vanitas said quietly. "So much... You had... _**everything.**_ You were happy. You were joyful... You had a life...You were able to forget. I had none of that." The old fool made sure of it. "You're an idiot. A dumb willing pawn of others!" Vanitas was unsure if he was addressing Ventus... or himself. "And yet... Here you are... sleeping peacefully like you always do! While I am still alone! Alone with... nothing!"

Nothing... His own name reflected that.

He had nothing.  
He gained nothing.  
He was nothing.

"Why...?" At this point, Vanitas didn't even know what he was asking. "Why am I still here?..." He glared once again at the sleeping teenager. Like it was his fault. "Why are we both still here? You shattered our hearts!" No response.

Sighing he slowly got up. Somehow. Knowing he didn't have an actual body, his formed felt so weary. So tired. He stared at Ventus for a long time.

And nothing changed.

"Somehow... you and I both exist... bet you didn't see that coming..." Vanitas muttered darkly. The platform of glass they were on was nearly blank, only the faintest of colors and outlines could possibly be detected and even then there was no discernible shape. The pillar itself seemed faded in comparison to the previous ones.

"Once again you're the lucky one. Sleeping... like you always seem to. I couldn't even close my eyes most days... I am awake..."

Why was he the one awake?  
Why couldn't he finally dream?  
What was it like?

He looked around, seeing the illuminant stained glass of other platforms far away and higher above in the fog, shining dimly.

Vanitas needed to know.  
"You shattered us... and... I was desperate to keep it together..." Vanitas remembered his pathetic flailing towards the X-blade. His last hope. "I faded... and then..." He couldn't remember, except- "-I was warm. I woke up on that beach."

Was that... Light? This feeling, this aching longing. It wasn't his... but it felt so nice to just... be in it.

Once again he wondered why Ventus or anyone else would not give it to him.

But that begs the question, what is this place?

"A heart." Vanitas suddenly muttered as the words came to him. Like old memories suddenly rising from depths though they were never apart of him in the first place. "A young boy's heart... HIs name is Sora."

So some random little kid was the one who finally gave him a taste of light? Vanitas laughed. Bitterly until he nearly became shaking shudders.  
"Well! Isn't that just great?! After all of that! Finally!" His words echoed emptily. "A young dumb kid who not only accept you, a stranger... but me. ME! A being of pure darkness! What kind of idiot would-" He stopped abruptly, realizing that he could only exist because of this idiot kid.

A cry of rage erupted from Vanitas. "**I DON'T WANT TO EXIST!" **He looked around for something to destroy, for anything! To lash out! He was so used to it with the unversed spawning from his emotions that-

...

There was no Unversed.

No matter how much he felt, the torrent of emotions he just felt from rage, sadness, grief, hate, and envy, there came none.

None.

None of those painful reminders that he was a half-baked creation.

No Keyblade  
No Magic  
No Unversed

...

He was... powerless. He was... an ordinary... thing.

Vanitas became quiet.

Still.

Why?

Why him? Why Ventus?

Why this boy?

What made them so special?

He was so tired.

"I just... I just..want..."

He didn't know what he wanted anymore.

Everything that made him... _HIM_, Vanitas, was gone.

That, or nothing to accept him.

No one wanted him.

...

Yet here he was.

Awake, and alone in some idiot boy's heart.

It was probably a fluke.

Probably Ventus' fault.

Once again yellow eyes glared at the peaceful resting face.

Vanitas had no direction. No obstruction. No enemy (at least any he could actually touch). No mission.

No one.

Not even the Unversed.

And yet...

And yet, even in the depths of this heart... he didn't feel alone.

Why?

AND WHY WOULDN'T HE STOP ASKING WHY?

"Snap out of it Vanitas! You're trapped here! LIKE SOME RAT!" The figure snarled, his hands clenching empty air. He wanted to crush something... Or at least have the keyblade in his hand! SOMETHING!

...

He wasn't used to feeling so weak.

He had to be strong. He always had to be strong. Vanitas couldn't afford to be weak. Being defenseless.

That meant... that meant...

His... Memories... were not all together.

There were gaps...  
A lot of gaps.  
Specifics eluded him.  
He remembered...  
His... Hate. He remembered the hate.

Contempt for the vessel who walked blindly into darkness.  
Envy and Disdain at his lighter half... his... WEAKER half.  
And absolute loathing for that Old Goat.

The man who created him.

He remembered that.  
No names or faces to apply to anyone other than Ventus.  
But the dark half knew what was done to him by others!  
All the suffering, all the misery.

Vanitas wanted... he wanted...

He couldn't think properly.

The fact he _still_ existed. Maybe not a physical body but his... fragment of a fragment self... was still here.

Who was this boy?

That question was most prominent. Against his nature, Vanitas forced himself to relax.  
He couldn't afford to be rash. Never! Not like Ventus... and the others...  
Who were the others?  
'_Idiots!'_ Came his first thought about them.

He had the advantage of keeping his cool. That meant... less unversed. It meant, he still had things underneath his control... meant that old goat...

His mind went blank again.  
All he knew was that his memories were painful. Nothing pleasant about them...  
Nothing pleasant about him.

Back on topic.

He was in a heart. Of a young boy, who could... find the shattered hearts of himself and Ventus.

He cast one last glare at the lighter half. "Go ahead! Sleep while you can. I'll figure out a way to get you yet!" With that last threat, he turned back the way he came, in the crumbling paths that lead up to what could only be the foremost levels of the heart.

The dark half passed through the mirrors and chains, this time peering into one. It was a man giving the perspective of the mirror. Small hands from the mirror's perspective reached out to grasp the present. Voices could be heard.

"_Here you go, son! Happy Birthday!"_

"_My own wooden sword? Thanks, dad!"_

Vanitas averted his eyes. That empty feeling growing larger.

Typical. Trapped in a little boys heart filled to the brim with that childlike innocence and light.

Only the barest of tiniest of edges of darkness existed in here. Probably like Ventus. Dumb and naive.

Weak.

So why did his feet take him back to the area full to the brim of this light?

Why was he so desperate any slight sliver? Even if it wasn't his?

He reached that strange doorway that led into the misty cave. Past the scribbles and back through the tunnel and past the moss where he found himself in this little seaside beach. A place... so surreal to him. In truth the essence of this boy's heart.

Now it was too bright.

But still so good.

All the bad stuff, the hate and sadness, and grief, slowly dimmed. Still there, still very much a part of him.  
Yet no longer as hurtful.

Vanitas spotted a shack not too far away from him and decided he would go there.  
He always worked best hidden.

Although it was dark inside, perfect for someone like him, Vanitas didn't realize he left the door slightly cracked, so that a single ray graced the shade. Finally, he slid down the wall, feeling exhausted from earlier and frustrated at the lack of what he could do.

Sleep beckoned him. And this time...

This time he was not afraid to close his eyes.

End of Chapter 1

* * *

**Enjoy.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Tis I back on this new chapter.  
Chapters will not release this soon. I am just slowly getting momentum turned up. The actual plot plot of KH1 will start after a few more chapters.  
First establishing how Vanitas is and I love establishing pre game young destiny trio.  
So please be ready for slow starts.**

**This will contain spoilers for Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep, and we'll work our way up.**  
**Disclaimer: Square Enix Characters belong to Square Enix. And Disney Characters belong to Disney.**  
**Nothing belongs to me.**

* * *

_A Fragment of a Fragment  
_Normal Kid  
Chapter 2

x

_A scattered memory is like a far off dream._

_A far off dream is like a scattered memory._

Was this dreaming?  
It did not feel like a dream,.. but to a person who has never dreamed, it was the next best thing.

Like a dream, they were not related to him. Like a dream, they were separated from what he knew. However, the dreams were in fact not dreams.

Passing memories, both strong and faded flowed like mist over Vanitas as he slept.

The boy Sora had a small simple life.  
Four years old.

He liked to go out fishing with his father, watching how the older man used nets and fishing spears to gather the fodder of the sea, and watching his mother cook. He liked to run and jump around the trees despite the scratches and bruises. He liked to scribble stuff on paper, especially crowns, swords and stars that glimmered in the night. Sora enjoyed hanging out with his best friend Riku, though they competed like rivals. The kid loved the beach and sea and sky.  
He believed in Santa Claus. He thought monsters were cool.  
His biggest dream was being a hero!

He was nothing extraordinary. An average kid. No important lineage, no remarkable qualities or traits.  
A bit outgoing, but that was it.

On the outside, and somewhat on the inside, he was a completely normal kid.

And yet...

And yet...

Sora called out to Vanitas and Ventus, across the worlds. Sora, who must've held such a strong sense of self as to be able to manifest it as a drive, albeit a small one. A boy who often felt himself staring at the stars in longing. As though waiting for something, or someone.

Vanitas came to know this. The boy's heart brimmed with light, and it was second nature for him to follow it, to latch on to any source of positivity and make his own when he could.

It was so bright, and so... naive...  
Possibly worse than Ventus!

...

It was still better than anything else.

That the half a heart could actually stay here and not fight for a sliver of something positive. Something good.

Even if none of these warm memories or hopeful joy was Vanitas'; being a fragment of a fragment, he'll take anything.  
He was tired of always being denied.  
Tired of always fighting for a heart!  
Tired of everyone else.

Sometimes, Vanitas wandered. Awoken from this strange slumber akin to feeling underwater, but lighter than that.  
His mind would be sluggish, but aware at least. Sometimes he would leave that little dark shack and drift into that bright light of the beach. Though it changed, at times the sun hung just above the horizon. Other times the stars and moon illuminated the place just as brightly as the sun. The sunrises were also just as grand. Each with its own feeling of something positive. Everything that Vanitas ever lacked in his life.

Yet still, that empty feeling remained.  
Hollow.  
Just like his name...

Other times on the beach, Vanitas saw faint images of boys and other kids running down, before quickly fading out.

Sometimes adults.  
They were like phantoms that passed by Vanitas unaware.

Other times he delved into the dive, where the more deeper remnants of the heart manifested. The memories, permanently reflected in the mirrors, chained together throughout the fog.

Vanitas roamed this heart, learning how to navigate it. Progress was slow, but he was learning.

Bit by Bit by Bit.

The light was always constant in this heart

It was different from Ventus'.  
It was less...Vanitas didn't know how to put it...Less self-pitying, less vague, flighty.

On the other hand, Vanitas could detect Ventus' light slowly intermingling with the boys.

And for the darker half, that just wouldn't do.

A certain event awoke Vanitas. It was during small brief stints earlier that were more akin to sleepwalking that the Dark fragment found a way to peer in on the outside world through Sora's eyes.

The boy's tiny shards of darkness beckoned the fragment, drawing him toward the dive into the heart. Upon the glass platform, Vanitas watched as Sora was arguing with the other boy, Riku.

Apparently, it was about whose fault it was that they lost the game. Riku believed Sora was distracted during the game, and Sora was denying, albeit with stuttering insistence.  
Who was right, Vanitas did not care.

Riku had a confidence that Sora lacked. Sora followed Riku, that was always the natural way of things. Riku was the leader, and Sora listened and admired his friend. For better, or for worse.

Already, Sora knew that Riku was better than him in nearly all things. Fishing, wooden sword fighting, racing, or anything else.

It reminded Vanitas about Ventus and... someone.

Particularly, Riku reminded Vanitas of... Well, no name and face in particular, but someone similar. A confident person who was used to being the best. Used to being looked up to, and yet foolishly heralded towards any sort of power they could grab in a desperate attempt to prove himself. Stubborn and proud. Those who were used to being worshiped and praised by those younger than them, yet crumpled as soon as the status quo began to change.

Fools that could easily be turned into vessels.  
There was something else about that boy.  
He couldn't put his finger on it... Not yet anyway.

What he did know, is that he didn't like Riku.

And Sora was acting just as weak as his lighter half. He would not allow the heart he resided in to be weak. To crumple.  
Whether or not Sora was a kid, did not matter to Vanitas.  
He _despised_ weakness.  
As he was never allowed to be weak.  
To have things go his way for once... well... Vanitas was nothing if not resourceful.

His disdain emitted into words. "C'mon! Don't be like Ventus!" Vanitas said this as his own anger compelled him to lash out somehow. "Get mad! Don't let this guy push you around like some wimp!"

...

It looked like Sora was ducking his head. Trying not to show his falling face and the weight of what seemed to be his fault.

Pathetic.

Before Vanitas could even turn away in disgust he felt a change. A familiar sensation. Those tiny shards of darkness, nigh invisible, began to shine.

"_STOP BLAMING ME RIKU! You always do this when we lose!" _He heard the voice of Sora echo. He sounded a bit angry for a little kid. "_I did my best! Even losing, I did MY best!"_ It seemed like a struggle for Sora. "_LEAVE ME ALONE!"_

An angry huffing noise followed along with a different voice calling the boys name.

What happened?

Vanitas' eyes gleamed at the possibilities of what exactly this meant.

Did... did the kid... hear him?

No.  
It was impossible for him to speak directly to Sora. Otherwise, Sora would have been shocked to hear a voice from his heart instead of responding like that.

Behind the helmet, yellow eyes stared at those tiny shards of darkness.

He had sensed... that Ventus' light was subtly affecting Sora's...

Could he affect this boy's... darkness?

He felt exhausted, but at the same time, this prospect colored everything anew.

Next time... next time... He...

...

His body, or whatever this form that resided in this boy's heart, became tired. Compelled, he sought out the dreamy little beach, that little shack with shade, the door cracked open for that single ray of light... and peace washed over him.

* * *

Time goes on.

A year had passed, though time was practically non-existent to Vanitas. The only tell came from Sora himself acknowledging time.

It would happen during the night. The entire day Sora felt strange and in turn, made the heart feel... off.  
Not in a bad way, but, as though anticipation was palpable.

Vanitas awoke in Sora's heart as the phantasmal sun fluctuated in its brightness.  
The sanctuary beach didn't make a sound. No shining water splashed against the crystal sands. No whispering winds flowed through the vibrant flora.  
All was still.

As though waiting.

If Vanitas did not know any better, it seemed as though the sound was emitting from a different source.

The low droning of the collective voices chorused and echoed from the small tunnel that led into the Dive. It compelled him, lead him from the dream of this little heart.

From there, on the stained glass that flowed like water, the reality of Sora's eyes appeared before him.

Riku and Sora had been talking, still as fast friends as ever. They were walking down one of the paths from the kindergarten, taking their time in the warm breeze.

Vanitas

"_Did you hear?"_ Riku began. "_The teachers told us that there's going to be a meteor shower tonight! Y'know, the type where there is a bunch of shooting stars in the sky?"_

"_Really?!"_ Sora was excited as usual, and the light in the heart sparkled with it. Vanitas had to resist rolling his eyes. What was so good about that? "_What time is this going to be?"_ Now Sora sounded worried.

"_Way past our bedtime! There's no way our parents will let us stay up to see it."_

"_No way! I'll go see it no matter what!"_

"_If you can do that, that would be amazing." _ The older boy chuckled.

"_Yes, I will!"_

"_What are you going to do? Sneak out?"_

"_Uh-huh!"_

"_You'll get caught and get in trouble. We won't be able to play if you're stuck in your room"_

This seemed to irritate Sora at being told he was incapable of doing something and Vanitas took full advantage to implant a seed of mischief in the heart of the boy.

"_Just you wait and see!"_

* * *

It was later that night where Sora laid frustrated on his bed. The toys scattered around the room while the fairy lights were hung along the walls by pegs. Papers were scattered about with scribbles of the results of Sora imagination.

Earlier, he asked his parents about the Meteor Shower to watch it, however... they said no.  
The shower is said to be coming after his bedtime and that loud festivals, lots of people and a tired young child were not a good combination.

And thus Sora was sent to bed on time as the little boy huffed in frustration.  
He stirred in his bed, ruffling the sheets even further.  
"I wanna see the meteors." Sora mumbled into his pillow. He refused to dress in his PJ's and stared irritated outside where he saw people illuminated by dimmed street lights, gathering on the mainland's beach to watch the meteors and where they will fall.

Sora wanted to be outside.  
He needed to be outside.

And that need, pulsed strongly in his heart.

Before Vanitas could suggest to Sora, testing to see how far his influence could affect the boy, Sora decided, on his own, to sneak out.

The small boy gingerly crept out of his bedroom, as quiet as someone his small size could be. The boy spotted his parents watching television- whatever show they were watching, Sora did not care. Stealthy as a mouse, he crept past and paused at the door, unsure how to open it without making a sound.

This is where Vanitas stepped in, whispering to Sora how to open a door and be quiet about it. It was a useful ability for his...  
His...

Once again Vanitas memories failed him. He knew he had to be stealthy at times... for what though...  
If he didn't.. He would have been...

Sora didn't hear any voice, or specific instructions, and yet his hand gingerly touched the cool brass knob. Slowly he twisted it, not perfect, few squeaks of the springs and bolts were released tightened, but nothing to alert anyone.

Using both hands, Sora slowly opened the door and snuck away in the night.

As though on a mission, the boy crept through the streets, trying to stay out of sight. It was the type of town where nearly everyone knew each other. At least, they would know the son of one of the main fishermen of Destiny Island.

So Sora, with a strange notion in his mind, stuck to the places where the street lamps did not shine.

Deep in his heart, Vanitas smirked.

The boy had to find a place where he could watch the meteor shower without anyone spotting him.  
Logically, to the small child, it made sense to go to the island where he played to get there. It only seemed natural to go there.  
It was like... he needed to go there.  
Down the pier- a small, little thing- was where the children of the coast docked their boats. Sora found his own easily in the dark. The half moon provided enough illumination for those blue eyes.

With practiced ease that came from learning about the sea and boats ever since he was born, Sora untied his boat and was astern at sea.

Vanitas did not know why he enjoyed this so much. He wasn't even interested in silly little lights in the sky. Maybe, it was the small acts of defying authority, something he couldn't do originally. Or, was it because his theory of manipulating the boy was being confirmed?

Even then, that strange feeling that has been building in Sora's heart, was growing stronger. Soon Vanitas felt an odd sensation that coursed through his darkness. What was it? What drew this boy who had an astoundingly strong heart towards it?

A shudder, both warming and chilling, flowed in his 'body'. Anticipation was not an accurate word.

Sora continued onward, knowing the route to the island like the back of his hand. No vision needed.  
When he was almost there, did it seem like the stars began to fall from that black velvet curtain

Bright trails streaked across the night sky like threads of a grand tapestry. Blue eyes widened in awe and joy of the flying stars speeding up the rowing process towards the island.

Sora all but scrambled out of the boat, running across the darkened beach. He laughed and jumped, trying to reach out to grab the gold and silver streaks like fireflies. He wanted to fly with the stars, and see beyond.

Was there anything beyond?

The stars continued to fall, twinkling throughout the sky before fading in the darkness; Sora traveled further down the beach, close to where the Paopu Tree rock was.

He was shaking with excitement. At unknown possibilities and stories that no one else have seen.

And, then, illuminated by the moon and falling stars.

He saw someone.

A small someone, face down on the beach.

Not moving.

Acting on instinct, Sora rushed towards the person, their appearance hard to make out. He began to shake the person.  
They were wet from the sea and skin was ice cold.

"Hey!" Sora cried out trying to rouse the person. All he knew was sleeping on the beach was bad.  
"Hey! HEY!"

And then a noise, a small mumble and shifting by the person. Tiny and weak.

"Hey! Are you okay? Who are you? Where do you come from?" He asked the person rapidly; however, he felt the person shift their face back down in the sand, causing Sora to panic.

Feeling worried, he began to lift the person over his shoulder, a difficult task for a child but luck would have it, so was the person his size as well, and probably his age as well. Not good! He knew even adults shouldn't be this way. Slowly he dragged them away from the cold ocean and while Sora was unsure what to do, he could only try to get the person away.

"SORA!" A masculine voice called out his name, angry and worried at the same time.

It was his father. He must have realized Sora was missing from the house. The tall man was intent to drag his son back and ground him. What he did not expect was his boy looking worried carrying someone across his back.

"Dad!" He cried out, trying his best to hurry to his father, stumbling awkwardly with the person on his back. "T-this p-per- This kid! I-I! I found them! On the beach! T-they won't ope- I mean, w-wa-ke up!"

Instantly any anger the father felt for Sora sneaking out evaporated as concerned for the mysterious child Sora had.

The older man knelt down and felt how cold the child was, the child wet form was soaking his son's clothes as well.  
They were breathing, but it was shallow. They needed to be wared quickly.

"Hurry to the boat, Sora." His voice was firm but calm. Taking the mysterious kid, the father and son ran back to the bigger boat.  
It was more spacious than Sora's little wooden boat. It had storage spaces and supplies. The fisherman took out a blanket, thick wool, and wrapped it around the unconscious child. He got one for Sora as well and began the row back to the mainland.

It was a blur of events for the young boy who was dropped off at the house with his dad giving a quick message to his mother. Something about needing to go to the doctors while heading off, carrying the other child in tow.

His mother was both worried and angry and after a hug and a bath, she shooed him off to bed with a 'don't ever do that again' and waited until the boy was asleep.

And Sora dreamed of flying stars, glass pillars, crowns and girls flying through stars.

And while Sora dreamed, Vanitas stood still and shocked. If one could see his face, intrigue, wonder and awe, comparable to how Sora saw the Meteor Shower earlier. A desire flowed in him.  
Now he understood why Sora's heart was attracted to that place tonight.

That girl... that girl was full of light.  
Not a single shred of darkness.  
It... it was almost like..._her._

He also remembered something.

Shooting stars, meteor showers, and a star blinking out, that meant...

A world ended.

The old man... told him as such...

And speaking of which... he _must_ have been defeated. Otherwise, a girl like the one on the beach would not exist if the worlds have been equalized or consumed by darkness.  
Defeated, but not completely.

Maybe it was a gut feeling, but Vanitas knew his former Master had backup plans upon backup plans.  
And the fact that a world disappeared... Maybe it was a long stretch, even paranoia, but Vanitas knew it was in fact caused by the old man.

So he was still alive...

And as Sora slept, Vanitas hatred grew.

He remembered a bit more. Vivid sparks of affliction, fear, and gloom. Fury and Bitterness. Pain like molten hot rods and despair like a never-ending pit.  
_Training_. Is what the man called it.  
...Even without proper memories, Vanitas had to resist the urge to clutch his arms. Fear was like an icy hand enshrouding his helmet, and the shock of lightning right into the blood veins

There is a reason why Ventus forgot.

The old fool wished to equalize darkness and light. Vanitas could tell you being a _**thing**_ of pure darkness... it wasn't that great.

He craved light, so much of it. Even if it wasn't his.

And when Sora got near that girl.

Light bloomed in his entire heart.

What a _wonderful _feeling.

Did Ventus feel this? Every day since he forgot? This joy? This happiness?

The loathing for his lighter half and all the things he had increased.

He was tired of Ventus' getting everything. And this light? The light of this boy's whose heart unknowingly accepted him? He would not **share **it.  
He would not **lose** it.

Just like how no one shared it with him.

No one would take this feeling away.

End of Chapter 2

* * *

**Reviews and comments do help and I appreciate feedback**


	3. Chapter 3

**Once again out with another chapter. Like I said before, these short times between chapter updates will not be consistent and will probably be longer. I just want to get the main story going really. The juicy stuff that I know people want to see.**

**But for now please enjoy more Destiny trio little childrens being childrens, happy, and whatnot with character building, bonds and a much-needed input into Destiny Island culture which I hardly ever see in fics or anywhere for that matter.**

**And also how Vanitas is affecting Sora. What did you think now that he dwells in a heart of light that he is going to be a good boy?  
HA**

**This will contain spoilers for Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep, and we'll work our way up.**  
**Disclaimer: Square Enix Characters belong to Square Enix. And Disney Characters belong to Disney.**  
**Nothing belongs to me.**

* * *

_A Fragment of a Fragment_  
The Girl who flew with Stars  
Chapter 3

The next day, Sora got a stern talking to by his parents about sneaking out. Though the boy could tell it was half-hearted at best, seeing how he found and helped rescue someone who had passed out and was shivering.

He asked about the child, curious as to what happened to them.

His father explained that it was a girl, and currently, she was recovering at the hospital as they tried to find her parents. Hopefully, they would get more information when she woke up.  
For some reason, his dad frowned when he said this.  
Sora wanted to ask more but was told that was all his parents knew.

He really wanted to meet this girl.

Sora was still sent to school and meeting Riku halfway on the path who looked at him with a bewildered expression.

"Did you seriously sneak out?"

Out of earshot of his parents, Sora puffed his chest out proudly. "Sure did! Told you I would do it."

"Okay! That's cool. And you didn't get in trouble?"

"...Well.."

The two boys laughed down the path. Riku didn't ask further, already impressed what Sora did..

* * *

Sora asked about the girl every day.

Every day he was told she was recovering.

On a certain day he and Riku checked out the 'monster' in the cave (which turned out to be the wind howling much to Sora's disappointment). Riku declared his dream to leave the islands and go on real adventures, a bold and serious proclamation. It seemed almost desperate for a small child.  
Sora felt inclined to agree. He would love to see new sights and go on a real adventure. But he was in no hurry right now

When Riku made a comment about a new girl staying at the mayor's house that arrived at the night of the meteor shower, it sent Sora off running towards the beach. Riku caught up... but his mind seemed to be on other places than the mysterious girl that Sora wanted to see.

Sora's parents caught the two when they docked and told their son that the girl he rescued had asked to see him.

Riku was allowed to come as well.

The mayor's house was rather simple for one of his stature. A good old fashioned brick house, two stories tall with an east room added to it.

There, Sora met a girl his age. She had sapphires for eyes and hair as red as a sunset. Her cheeks were poppies. Her dress was as yellow as daisies and a silver bead on her necklace. She peered behind the legs of the mayor's wife. Barely visible except for a single sea deep eye.

The Mayor explained to Sora's parents that while the girl remembered her name, not much could be said about where she came from or who her parents were. The doctors had reported her body malnourished, along with several bruises along her arms. The causes were... The boys didn't hear this part; the adults spoke with hushed whispers and concerned looks.  
As for when Sora found her, luckily despite being found wet and cold, she did not suffer hyperthermia due to her early rescue. Going to the mayor's house she was recovering with special TLC that the mayor's wife held for the poor child.

She was a very quiet child, barely making a peep at times when she regained consciousness.  
But when she did, she often asked 'Who saved me?'  
She asked this everyday as she knew she had been in a bad place before that was dark and cold.  
Until someone came along and made her warm.

Now her rescuer was in front of her.

A boy who had sun-kissed skin and eyes as bright as the sky. The wildest hair ever that couldn't decide where it wanted to flow. He radiated excitement and warmth.

Next to him was a slightly paler boy, with stark white hair and icy eyes. He looked at the situation with confusion and curiosity.

Sora was bright eyed and wonder-filled at the person he had saved. He wanted to know about this mysterious girl.

The girl who arrived with the stars.

The adults talked, discussing about the lack of information about Kairi's parents and gently prodded Sora and Riku to 'be nice'.  
Sora didn't know why he wouldn't be nice to this girl.

The mayor's wife smiled at the two children. "She's a bit shy so please take things slowly. Introduce yourselves."  
She whispered something to the girl and gently directed her to the boy while pointing at Sora.  
Blue eyes widened.

Sora was bright and warm as the summer sky. "Hi, there! I'm Sora."

Riku took a much calmer approach. "Sora, we're not supposed to scare her."

"What? I was being friendly. You're supposed to say your name." Sora said this like it was an obvious fact to the world.  
A sigh from the older boy. "I'm Riku. Nice to meet you."

The girl shuffled nervously, hands behind her back. "Hi..." Came her small voice.

Sora beamed at her and began to launch into questions. What was her name? Where did she come from? Why was she on that beach?

A thunk hit his head from Riku, causing the younger boy to glare at his friend.

And beneath it, Vanitas did the same, but for different reasons.

Now he knew why he didn't like Riku.  
With that girl over here, he sensed a similarity between them. Keyblade Masters had performed the ceremony to bequeath upon them their own keyblades.

He knew little of the ritual, but he could sense the mark of the keyblade upon both of them.

So... was the girl called to by Sora? Or by Riku?

What a wonderful light...

This situation was familiar. An older boy, a girl full of light and the odd younger boy left out who respected the older boy...

Specific memories eluded the dark half but he knew this situation, a very specific deja vu. At this rate the cycle could repeat, and, if his old master was indeed alive, he would find these keyblade users, and manipulate them like Ventus and his... friends.  
It would be just another cycle of manipulation.

During this time, since Sora found that girl of light, Vanitas had been thinking, struggling to stay awake when the light of Sora's heart called him to ease. And thus, Vanitas had needed the constant source to fuel his hatred when staring where Ventus slept.

He thought about his position as the old man's apprentice. How things could have been so much different...  
But back then there was little choice.

It wasn't as though Vanitas actually liked his master. Him and Ventus are probably the two people in all the world's Vanitas loathed the most.

And that was saying quite a lot.

Seeing as how he loathed a lot of people.

Back then, it seemed like the only way the dark aspect could escape the painful existence was to follow his master's orders; to merge with his light half and become the X-blade.  
It was his only hope.

But that failed.

He had been too scared of what his master would do to him if he opposed. For him... there was no other way but to obey.

In the end, it was all for naught.  
Vanitas lost everything.

Yet...

And yet he found something else.

Though this light may not be his, he was not willing to let it go. If possible, find a way to get take some of this light if there was a way to get his own body...

The old man (wherever he was) would be attracted to two potential keyblade wielders. If this girl came from another world, that was potentially destroyed... Then it would eventually happen here.

And that meant...

He would become a pawn again.  
A puppet to his Master's whims.

Cold fear, flashes of pain and misery, and the heat of weeping tears and despair. If he needed to breathe in this realm, his breath would have caught in his throat from the sheer terror of the mere implication of going back to how things where.  
'No...'  
Not anymore.

Vanitas refused to dance to anyone's demands. Refused to be a mere thing.

Even if Sora could not use a Keyblade... there are ways.

Ways to use this boy to his own ends. And prevent the former master from repeating history.

His master must still be in a weakened state, or something else. Even if the old coot could predict most things, there was no way he could predict a boy like Sora and for himself to survive.

He could wait.

He had time.

And he would utilize this heart.

This would not be a repeat of Ventus.

For now, with that in mind, Vanitas could rest.

* * *

The two boys were only able to get a few words out of Kairi and thus opted to try to talk about themselves so she would become more comfortable with them.  
She told them her name was Kairi.

Eventually, it was time to leave and though they bid the girl goodbye, neither of them had the intention to have it end there.

Sora strived to visit Kairi every day, his parents allowed this, both as an award and as an adjourned punishment for him sneaking out. Instead of going to the island to play, he would be helping Kairi get more comfortable.

It was less of a punishment and more reward for Sora, as this is what he wanted to do anyway.

Riku joined in as well since the two boys were nigh inseparable. They tried for a few days but only they were able to get simple sentences from her. Kairi did not seem to mind their company so that was a plus.

It was when Sora got there early with some crayons and paper that the bond began to form. He asked her if she liked drawing, and that seemed to break that shy shell she had.

Riku came in and seeing his friend and the new girl asking him more questions about what he does, the white-haired boy instantly joined them.

Sora drew crowns, swords, and stars.

Riku drew swords, fire, and armor

Kairi drew stars, flowers, and hearts.

As days passed and Kairi's condition and confidence improved, the two boys learned more about her.

She liked fountains and gardens. Her favorite thing to do was looking for neat objects and go on scavenger hunts. Her favorite color was blue. She thought swords were cool too. Her favorite food were strawberries.

Riku liked sunsets. His favorite thing to do was run. His favorite color was purple. He wanted to see new things. He was a fan of chocolate.  
Sora loved the sea. He loved to swim too and climb trees. His favorite color was red. He wanted to go on an adventure. He liked fruit in general.

Soon enough Kairi joined them in school. She was instantly accepted in their age group. Tidus, Wakka (being the oldest kid who hung out with them), Selphi. There were not many kids their age in their section of the little community.

It was when they decided to take her to the island, where they play, Sora and Riku made a startling discovery.

"You can't swim?" Sora all but yelled in shock.

Even Riku looked confused at the concept of someone not swimming.

Kairi looked embarrassed. Her face now as red as her hair. "I never seen so much water." She admitted looking out to the ocean. She was also nervous getting on one of the boys' boats, neither knowing how to row or, as stated, swim.

And thus, the newly formed trio was left on the mainland beach looking out as the sun started its slow descent towards the horizon and ocean.

Riku quirked his head. "They didn't have water where you live?"

"Oh no. It's not that." Kairi corrected. "Where I was... there were lots of fountains and waterways that went through it. It helped water the gardens. But... I-" Kairi took on a dazed look suddenly as though her mind halted.

"You still don't remember?" Riku asked noticing. The girl shook her head.

"No. We never had oceans in my world-..!" Kairi made a startled gasp upon remembering that. Something about... someone told her something about how there are many words.

Riku's eyes immediately brightened. "Another world?"

Sora caught up on this, an exciting feeling growing larger and larger in his chest. Little did he know it wasn't just his own excitement.

Kairi thought long and hard. "I... think so... wherever I came from...Felt... Different." She looked uncomfortable at this point. All that was left to remember was dark... cold... scary.

Sora reached out, sensing her distress over not remembering. "Hey. It's alright. I'm glad you're with us so we got to know you, Kairi." Sora thought long and hard. "Wait! Maybe we can find a way to get you back home!"

Riku was immediately on board with this idea. Memories about the stranger and the old story of the boy leaving the islands came flowing back to his mind "Yeah! We'll go exploring the worlds and we'll find yours!"

Kairi still was quiet.

"What's wrong?" Sora asked getting closer.

"Well... I like it here." Kairi mumbled looking at the two shyly.

The two boys looked at each other in silence.

...  
"Well... We can wait... maybe when we're older..." Sora looked at Riku.

The boy shuffled. "Yeah. We still need to learn more at school. And... get stronger and stuff."

"Yeah! And teach Kairi how to swim!" Sora finished up looking more excited than ever.

Kairi giggled despite her nervousness. "Thank you. Both of you."  
The three children smiled with hope and adventure in their hearts.

* * *

The adults had to teach Kairi how to swim as all the Destiny Island children had been swimming practically in diapers and teaching someone who didn't know was almost incomprehensible to them. They also helped her learn to row and Riku's dad had built her own rowboat to go with the other kids.  
Eventually, they took her to the island where Kairi found a new interest in finding different seashells and showing them to her friends.

"What's this?" Kairi was holding up a small speckled shell up to the boys. They were on the beach, near where Sora found the girl. She liked this spot.

"Um..." Sora began to think.

Riku considered as well. "I think... that's a... Bonnet."

The redhead giggled at the cute name.  
She held up another one that looked like a pale teardrop.

"That one's easy." Sora said. "It's a paper fig."

"Let's see if we can find a conch shell. I bet Kairi would like that." Riku said gesturing out to the ocean.

"We'll have to swim." Sora said casually turning to their newest friend. "Kairi, do you think you'll be okay?"

She nodded. "Yep! I've been learning lots of lessons from my Mrs.-... I mean, my mom."

"Her mom?" Sora whispered to Riku

"I think she got adopted Sora." Riku whispered back to his friend, unsure how Kairi felt about this.

However, it seemed that the girl got the gist of what they were saying. "It's okay. She and the mayor are really nice and look after me. And... I don't remember my actual mom and dad or... anyone else."

A stony silence followed after this. The two boys unsure of how to address Kairi's situation.

"So how do we find a conch shell?" She asked the two breaking the muteness.

The two boys proceeded to lead her into the sea, she was wearing shorts and a shirt like they were. And dived into the salty water.

Kairi would swear both boys were part fish; they flowed through the water without hindrance.  
While she wasn't bad herself, considering she only started a month ago, the feeling of being left behind... was prominent.  
She would keep up with them. One day.

"Hey, Sora! Betcha I can find a shell first!" Riku shouted from across the water.

"You're on!" came Sora's reply before he dived down in the water. Riku followed closely behind.

"Oh c'mon!" Kairi complained. She had gotten used to Riku and Sora's consistent contents. More so the fact that both of them seemed single-minded determination to beat the other.

She floated around before spotting a particular raised land formation with a ladder leading up to it.

"GOT IT!" Riku cried out clutching a fighting conch in his hand.

Sora burst out of the water only a moment after, holding a king crown conch. "Aw C'mon! I found mine right at the same time you did!"

Riku merely grinned. "Too bad you're a slower swimmer than me!"

"Not true! I won the race last time!"

"That's because you're a sore loser."

"So are you! Fine then! We'll do another! Kairi can you-" Sora noticed their newest friend was nowhere to be seen. "Kairi?" His voice grew small and worried.

"Don't worry. She's up by the tree." Riku pointed to the miniature island that was connected by the bridge.

The brown haired boy immediately swam over to the ladder. The two boys caught up with their friend who was staring at the crooked palm tree.

"What is this?" Kairi asked her eyes wide at the pretty star-shaped fruit. She was sure even in her forgotten memories, she had never seen anything like it.

When she turned to the two, both their faces were bright red, their eyes shifting off to the side.

"What?"

Sora gulped. "Well... it's... y'see... Um..." He seemed to be at a lost of words.

Riku spoke up but hardly any better. "Paopu fruit is for older people... it... special."

"Very special!" Sora added.

"How so?" Kairi asked even more curious.

Both boys stuttered to answer.

"If... you share it... with someone you care really, really, REALLY, deeply about... like how mom and dad care about each other... then you're..."

"Connected forever." Riku said. "No matter how far you are apart. You're connected. That's why the sailors make charms out of thalassa shells in the same shape for a safe voyage."

"They did it a lot long ago. But some still have them. My dad has one. My mom made for him." Sora said to them.

The awkward silence was creeping up on them again.

"So... did you guys find a conch shell?" She asked them.

Startlement and horror crossed the two boys' faces. Realizing they had dropped them on their way here. They stared at Kairi, and then at each other. Back at Kairi, and once again at each other.

Both of them dove off the Island.

"Hey!" Kairi called out again, bewildered at their antics.

* * *

"No...n-no fair!" Sora called out panting to his older friend. They had been racing to school and once again Riku beat him. The score they had has been taking a steep turn in Riku's favor recently.

And Sora... felt a great irritation in him. He hadn't seen Kairi recently due to her getting along with others, he didn't feel too well and... this.

"C'mon Sora. I won fair and square. Stop looking so grumpy. It's just a race."

Sora knew it was never 'just a race'. Just like it how it was never 'just a swim' or 'just a climb' and especially never 'just a sword fight'.

Riku was his friend, no doubt, but for some reason, Sora began to fear losing like this. Like... if he kept losing... something he cares about will be lost.

Something precious.

Sora didn't want to lose that.

He wanted to get better.

He needed to get better.

In school, they all did their normal school work as they discovered more about their own abilities.  
Kairi was good at Arts and Crafts. Sora held a fondness for making plastic models. Riku had a knack for working with wood like his father.

Then it was the sick season.

One day, Riku came down with a fever. It was common for kids his age to get during this season.

Riku hadn't been sick in so long though, so seeing this... was a shock to Sora. He only saw Riku briefly. Face red and slick with sweat. Breath shallow with harsh coughs and eyes unfocused as the fever took a toll on his body.  
To see his best friend, who he thought was stronger than any other kid, taken down like this... was very shaking to a small young boy.

Even if Sora strived to be better than Riku, seeing the guy he admired taken down a notch like this... brought a very startling reality to his small perception.

Anyone could fail.  
Anyone can be weakened.

He felt like he broke a promise.. that...

He had to protect... Riku...

Did he promise that?  
To who?

His worry about Riku distracted him from many other things. Primarily in school. Luckily for him, Kairi was by his side. So they often tried to get treats over to their friend as they recovered.

It was just ill luck that as soon as Riku could come back to school, Kairi came down with a flu. Also not uncommon at this time of year. What was, was Sora's inability to get sick.

Even with this small blessing, the parents still kept him away from Kairi. And despite not being sick, Sora felt like a mess seeing how an integral part of his life now, was missing.

He touched the crown necklace he had.

He could hardly remember what life was before Kairi. Only a few memories of the 'pre-Kairi era' existed and most of them concerned him playing with Riku or his family.

It didn't feel right.

It felt like he had lost something.

It was different from when Riku was sick. Sora didn't know how it was different... but it was.

Everything just seemed a little bit dimmer.

* * *

That night he had a bad dream. A horrible awful dream.

It was a torrent of darkness swallowing him. A wave bigger than any he had seen in the sea during a storm.

Everything it came across it crushed it. His house. His family. The island.  
His friends.  
Riku.  
Kairi.

No matter what he did, nothing worked against it.

And those in authority told him nothing was wrong even as they too were swallowed up.

It crashed over him, washing away the ground underneath his feet, the air from his lungs. The horror of losing everything was embedded in the wave.

No matter what he did.

He lost.

Lost against a force he did not know about.

Because he was weak.

Because he thought he was safe.

He saw stars, they did not fall but wink out of existence.

He had to...

He had to protect the light.

His light...  
He had to be...

When Sora awoke the next morning, he didn't remember the dream. No darkness or any stars disappearing.

He seemed fine.

And yet deep in his heart, those shards of darkness had grown ever so slightly bigger. And a desire that would change him.

Nothing would steal away what he cherished.

So he would get stronger. So even things like that darkness would think twice before messing with him.

End of Chapter 3

* * *

**Sora might start getting issues.**

**Or maybe he's already had them in canon, just hidden underneath layers of smiles.**

**Not in this story though.**

**Hope you enjoy it.  
Reviews and comments are greatly appreciated.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Same Verse as the first.  
Just getting to the plot  
Which we have now arrived to.  
Tutorial Chapter!**

**Hi everyone it is True-InTha-Blue with the start of KH1 now with extra Vanitas.  
And a bit of a changed Sora, Kairi and Riku are the same really, it still makes an interesting dynamic.  
Though might not be as much change compared to the games in the next few, the tutorials already do a good job of explaining the dynamics there is not much to change, to begin with.  
The updates will begin to be slower now. Please be patient as while I have some stuff already written its best for everyone I continue to have a marginal headstart on the story for the sake of consistent updates because no one likes waiting 2-6 months for updates.  
Also in case life gets in the way.**

**Also!  
I will have pictures of Sora and scenes of the story on my tumblr.  
Bluespinda is my user name as of this chapter, I will show the picture of Sora and his totally nonVanitas inspired outfit.**

**As always please enjoy.  
****This will contain spoilers for Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep, and we'll work our way up. **

**Disclaimer: Square Enix Characters belong to Square Enix. And Disney Characters belong to Disney. **

**Nothing belongs to me.**

* * *

_A Fragment of a Fragment_  
Station of Awakening  
Chapter 4

Days passed.  
Months and Years.

The island hardly changed, probably just as the same as before.  
The sun rose with Ochre brilliance and the silver moon phased like clockwork. The glow and hue of seasons passed in green, yellow, red and blue.

And yet despite the monotony, the children grew older.  
Not longer the younglings they once were and not quite adults.

And in that, in them, there was change.

X

_I have been having these weird thoughts lately..._

_Like if any of this is real... or not?_

Vanitas watched as more and more sections of Sora's heart grew and expanded. Many of the Pillars of Foundation in his heart grew and grew as the choir of unconsciousness sang its ever blissful melody.

The glass grew more vivid and bright, shining to illuminate the Fog of the Soul. They were beacons But... even more so...

Creeping along the pillars, growth of black crystal grew from the depths and ornate themselves around the Pillars, framing the shining glass almost like vines and thorns.  
They had grown from those tiny shards of Darkness and integrated themselves into the boy's heart. The crystals never blocked the light, but they were certainly not hidden from sight either.  
They weaved together, gnarled facets that reached outward as if to gorge any who would try to approach.  
And yet they twisted in a design of the frames, making the foundations and holding the bright shining glass together.  
But they only resided on the bottom half, they have yet to reach the top of the foundation. They still rested in the lower depths, though they grew slowly as the light shined brighter.

The dark being himself had been drawn to the Station of Awakening recently. The heart of this boy sensed something changing in this world, as with all hearts do, whether or not their owners actually were aware.

Not to mention... some of the Foundations have changed... were... _outside._ Covered in a veil that hid their true forms.

He had checked on Ventus during these times of change to see if his lighter half had any inkling consciousness or awareness.

That had not changed.

His weak half slept as soundly as ever, still blissful, still ignorant and unaware.

He was still the same and Vanitas scorned Ventus for that.

Vanitas was also unable to go to the Foundations that were _outside_, ones that did not have a connection to the boy's heart.

But if they didn't... why were they here?

He stood outside of the _outside_ watching, his self-compelled him too. The fog and mist of the unconscious twisted and turned from the unseen forces of the heart.

He stood on a single stained glass tile where the tiny thorny vines were only just visible along the ridges. Vanitas did not know why he led himself here, but more often than not, the urges of Sora's heart were something to keep aware of. Like a foreboding of a storm.  
Through these many years, the dark half of Ventus has learned even more as the boy developed. How to Navigate it, how to listen to it and most importantly:

_**how to influence it.**_

Here he was.

And then... he saw him.

Vanitas came to realize the full extent of just how Sora resembled him.

Or maybe more correctly, how he resembled Sora.

Of course, the boy's face was still a bit younger than his, blue eyes and brown hair.

But what was most important was this.

Sora was here.

Not as a phantom image on the beach... But Manifested in the Dive of his Heart.

Curious, as only Keyblade wielders could only Dive. Vanitas has learned though that Sora's heart seemed to defy expectations.

The boy landed on the _outside _platforms. The darkness that had covered it had begun to disperse revealing green hues that lay under

The black flakes turned into doves and flew away into the Fog of the Abyss drawing confusion from the boy.

His eyes wandered around, confused to where he might be. Those blue eyes passed Vanitas and kept going like he had not seen a black and red figure with a shining black and silver mask.

Vanitas waited, unable to breach further but curious to see what the boy whose heart he has been residing in, is like with his own eyes.

Sora's head tilted as though listening to someone, but Vanitas heard nothing. Gingerly Sora stepped forward and waited near the center.

Silver pedestals rose around Sora and appeared on them were three different weapons

Vanitas had never seen anything like this happening before. And yet he still had to wait. Observing was a skill he had learned for some reason, patience against his normally volatile instincts. Yet, 10 years in this heart made him a master of it.

The boy looked around more, judging what to do next, eyeing the weapons with curiosity and discerning.

Then Sora appeared like he was listening again. He picked two and both disappeared.

Then the pedestals collapsed, the pillar shook before the glass began to shatter. Fragments were upheaved and the floor beneath Sora was gone. He fell into the mist and fog as the shards of bright green glass fell with him as they grew smaller and smaller into shining sparks.

No matter how deep Sora fell, Vanitas did not lose sight of him.

Another Platform appeared from the abyss. Blue hues and white figures. Sora drew nearer and his decent softened to land on his feet.

The sword appeared in the boy's hand. He stared at it with shock, at first, but it seemed to be a perfect fit. He took a test swing and found the balance to be ideal.

A black creature rose with beady yellow eyes from the floor. And then another and another. They twitched like insects and crept towards the boy.

Hatred pulsed in their veins. For the boy, unknown why such a terrible feeling welled up in his chest. To the observer, knowing perfectly why he hated these creatures that were similar to him.

Immediately Sora was on the offensive, slashing at the creatures with anger and disdain, as though they insulted him personally. More rose up, trying to slash and jump at him; few got to make the shallow scrapes but were swiftly put to that sword. What remained sank back into the floor whence they came.  
And then, darkness sprouted from beneath Sora, it swallowed the platform and Sora began to sink down of it, struggling, scared.

It was then Vanitas spoke up. Spoke like he always did when he felt his host was showing weakness. Spoke to mold the young boy into something that would not bend.  
It was more of a habit by now.  
"Don't let it shake you! You must not let it affect you." He didn't feel the drain of will like he normally did when influencing Sora.  
The boy seemed to hear the words anyway or at least felt something that made him dive headfirst in the inky whirlpool.

The dark half watched as Sora manifested on another platform, the darkness sliding easily off. This one was more different from the others. Three pink hearts were adorned along with the fleur-de-lis.  
In the hearts were the silhouettes of more women, two in profile and the other face forward.  
For some reason unknown, Sora saw himself staring at the topmost heart. A ray of light shined from an unknown source drawing his attention, illuminating an ornate door.

Approaching it showed it was transparent and could not be touched. Another light showed objectives the boy had to do, practice with the sword.  
Soon enough the door manifested completely

As soon as a hand touched the handle, it opened on its own and fill this empty area with a blinding light. Vanitas, even further away, shielded his eyes from the piercing light.

They found themselves on the beach within the boy's heart. The host himself was on the far off platforms, around him were the phantoms of those he grew up with.  
Yet, the drone of the choir still greeted him over the shifting waves of the coast.

Vanitas did not know their names or never bothered to learn them.

He could not hear what they were saying to Sora but from the look on the boy's face, he seemed very confused by their words before answering back. The sky became noon and once again reality shifted

The surface of the pillar this time was rose in color. Those black creatures appeared once again. With that ferocity that seemed unnatural for a boy like him to have, Sora struck down each and every one of them.

The light shined down again and then appeared the multicolored ramp of glass that led off into the fog. And the same applied for

Vanitas. Both of them climbed their separate ramps upward and onward towards a pillar off in the distance. Sora paused midway seeing the mass of black crystals surrounding and decorating the windows of the pillar.

Vanitas had to wait for Sora to catch up on the surface with a yellowed colored platform that he himself was not privy to.  
A large column of light shown down in the center, beckoning Sora.

He was always drawn to the light.

_The closer you get to the light,_

_The greater your shadow becomes_

It wasn't a voice even, no sound or indication of who or what was speaking it, and yet those words were heard above the multitude of voices.

Both he and Sora saw the boy's shadow rise from the ground and transformed

Sora backed away from the rising monstrosity.

_But don't be afraid_

Claws formed and yellow eyes appeared.

_And don't forget..._

The creature of darkness towered over him.

Sora backed away until the edge of the platform and found there was no escape.

"Don't turn your back!" Vanitas called out disappointed by his host's cowardice. He could do nothing but stand there.

Grit filled the blue eyes and he turned to the towering monster with that sword in hand. Brazening he charged at it as it slammed its hand down to make a vortex. Sora dodged to the side and quickly began to strike its eyes. The creature roared backward clutching where it was hurt, forcing the boy to jump off.

What greeted him were the smaller yellow-eyed creatures that Sora had to deal with quickly before the larger one struck back.

A large black hand lunged for the boy and struck him across the back making him fall; Sora kept to his feet and struck back at the hand before it was out of range.

The thing began to charge something in the hollow of its chest in the shape of a heart but that meant it was vulnerable and Sora knew that striking its hands were effective.

He did as such before that charge could go off and then one of the creature's hands flew off and disappeared in a miasma. And now the creature was enraged, stood at its full height and rushed at the boy. At the worst of times, that sword disappeared and another attack toppled the boy.

The same black and purple vortex appeared underneath him. With the giant in from of him and the void sucking him in, Sora felt trapped.

Before Vanitas could speak, the '_words' _once something silenced him.

_-but don't be afraid_

Against all the unknown horror, fading sight and dulling senses, Sora calmed down and fell back into the darkness.

_You hold the mightiest weapon of all._

Sora remembered the face of his most precious person.

_So don't forget:_

The darkness enveloped the boy completely

_You are the one... who will open the door._

* * *

Blue eyes opened to a bright blue sky. The eyes turned to a clear blue ocean as the waves gently sway back and forth. The sun was high and warmed the soft sand beneath him. A yawn escaped him as he began to shut his eyes, it felt like he hardly slept at all.

When he fell back though, a familiar face peered right over him. He sat upright with adrenaline coursing right back to the forefront.  
"Whoa!"

He let out a startled gasp not expecting her at all.

The girl laughed at him as his expression and knowing she scared him.

"Gimme a break Kairi." The boy groaned while trying to hide the blush on his face.

Kairi laughed a little more. "Sora, you lazy bum." She said with a faux scolding voice. "I knew that I'd find you snoozing down here." And, as always, she was right.

Sora realized he was supposed to be doing something earlier but was unaware he nodded off while taking a 'break'. It certainly didn't feel like he was sleeping.  
His words fumbled as they often do around Kairi, but also from trying to remember what couldn't be remembered. "No! I-I mean... This huge... Black thing appeared and tried to... I couldn't breathe, I couldn't-" A whack on his head stopped his ramble. "Ow!" Kairi was a strong girl despite her appearance. Sora knew this fact well.

"Are you still dreaming?" Kairi looked at him skeptically. She leaned up close as though to inspect he was sick. Sora leaned away feeling his face grow warmer.

"It wasn't a dream!" For some reason, his body hurt "Or was it... I don't know." Already details seemed to fade from his mind like grains of sand.

A place of stained glass pillars and thorns to make the frames. Those black things and all that. The feeling of being watched. "What was that place?" Sora asked himself. Why did it seem familiar?

"Are you sure you're alright?" Kairi asked this time concerned when Sora seemed a bit more dazed than usual. Nothing really got him like this. "You've been napping a lot lately."

Sora shook his head wondering... it was such a strange and different place. He looked to Kairi as she starred off to the horizon. "Say Kairi, what was your hometown like? You know, where you grew up." He already knew the answer to this but he wanted to get the topic off of that bizarre dream.

"I've told you before, I don't remember." Her voice got lower.

"Still nothing?"

"Nothing," she confirmed sounding like she gave up a while ago.

"You still want to see it again right?" Sora asked, wondering if he could stay true to that promise he made while they were young.

That got a smile from her, not that Sora saw it. "Well, I'm happy here." She truly was. Even though she knew she came from a different place, Kairi felt like Destiny Island is where she belonged.

"Yeah?" Sora felt happy about that.

"But you know..." She led off before turning to Sora. "I wouldn't mind going to see it." A lot unsaid there.

Sora's voice grew uncommonly soft. "I'd like to see it too..." But then grew back to its normal volume. "Along with any other worlds out there!" That same feeling when he saw the meteor shower the first time those years ago came back. "I want to see 'em all!"

And hopefully, that would be soon.

"So what're we waiting for?" Kairi urged on.

"Hey!" A partially offended voice came from behind. "Aren't you guys forgetting about me?" The oldest one in their group, Riku, joined them and holding a log. "So, I guess I'm the only one working on the raft." He looked irritated by the other two's lack of effort.

He threw the log so suddenly at Sora that, even though the younger teen caught it, the gravity still knocked out his breath.

Not paying any attention to his friend, the silver-haired boy marched right up to Kairi. "And you're just as lazy as he is!" He accused with mirth.

Kairi merely giggled at his accusation. "So you noticed." She used her task to find Sora as an excuse to give herself a break. All things must end though. "Okay, we'll finish soon. I'll race you."

The older boy groaned and sat down. "What, are you kidding?" He asked.

"You scared?" Sora brazenly asked despite sitting down as well.

"Ready?" Kairi began.

"Are you?" Riku challenged. Both boys turned to the other.

"Go!" She bolted off running but as soon as she did, so too did the boys. They bolted down the sand determined to oust the other. They wanted to set out for the future, for their own adventure.

They may have grown older and changed, but that remained the same between the three of them.

Kairi had grown as a teenager, short red hair and her eyes still as sea blue. Her skin remained pale though, with an inability to get a tan like the rest of the Islanders. Despite this, she has learned how to swim and fish like the rest of them regardless of her strange circumstances in the beginning.

She still wore that silver bead necklace.

Kairi was the beloved daughter of the Mayor and his wife. She was as much as a Destiny Islander as any native born. She got along with all the adults. All kids her age group enjoyed her company. She was the apple in everyone's eye with her cute looks and tomboyish kind personality.

Riku was still the calm and more mature one of the group. Most thought of him as the leader and planner behind all the trios activities. Popular in school and respected around the town, when he wasn't competing or goofing off with Sora. Then that's when his competitive and fierce personality emerged. He did not like to be taken lightly. With his tall and strong frame, most knew that Riku wasn't supposed to be taken lightly in the first place.

As most cliches go, many would assume Sora to be the odd one out of the group.  
In a way he was...

On the other hand, many who thought he was easy to mess with, find out soon they were sorely mistaken

He was a fierce-looking boy. Wild brown hair that seemed untamed and his body shorter than Riku but nearly just as fit.

He preferred darker colors along with red.

The odd part about him, was really how he acted.

For those who Sora got along with, he was a kind and cheerful 14 year old. A little rowdy but well-meaning. He got along great with younger kids and those who needed help.  
On the other hand...  
As Sora grew older, it was often questioned of where he developed his 'mean streak' as many would call it. He became ticked off when people gave him orders or told him he was wrong. He didn't like social gatherings between strangers or being forced to meet new people.  
Sora was also extremely competitive, especially if Riku was within a 50 ft radius. When they were together, there was nothing they wouldn't challenge each other to. Racing, climbing, fighting, pranking each other, pranking others, who could get the highest grade in the exams (Kairi usually won that), who could clean their house to best (surprisingly that seemed to be the most even of wins), who cleaned up their street the fastest (no one was complaining about that), who could bake better, who could help out with the holidays more, who could give the best gift to Kairi (there was still no specific winner- Kairi was always happy to receive gifts from them) et centra...

People knew by now that these competitions were a force of nature between the two boys; it was just simply best to get out of their way and do damage control. You could try to scold them, but Riku would just smile and do it the next day. Meanwhile, Sora would shrug and not listen.

He did not make friends easily as much as he was a kid. His proud and fervent attitude made others wary of him. Riku was the only one who could really keep up with Sora these days. And what they considered 'play' most others could only see as an intensive gauntlet of trials

There was just something, that warded others off. As though the boy's intensity was not normal.

It seemed unusual to any outsider why a sweet girl like Kairi would hang out with the two biggest troublemakers on the whole island that even some adults didn't want to mess with. Without knowing their history, they just seemed to be bad influences. Sora and Riku were wild children together, but when Kairi was with them, the two mellowed out. So, it was common shared interest to have Kairi next to them.  
Pity to those who thought it would be a good idea to mess with Kairi to get to Sora or Riku because if either one heard or saw someone messing with the girl or worse, both of them saw/heard, there was no force on the island besides martial law to save you.

They were inseparable, even at the worst moments. There have been rocky times, and while it seemed that the rivalry between the two boys would be at its breaking point, they always made up in the end.  
The three shared a dream. A dream to see what lays beyond the horizon of the sea and sky.

As for the race:

No one knew who won. Sora pushed Riku into the ocean as the two tumbled and wrestled, Kairi had to split them up and by the time they all separated they forgot what they were racing for.

They had to continue building the raft. Quickly before the adults found out.

Unknown to them, destiny would set a path for them, separating them into very different roles.

Shaping them and changing them beyond any plan set out.

End of chapter 4

* * *

**To sum up Sora at this point in the most basic sense (and I quote from a friend) is that even if his mother's handmade sweater is dorky, he would wear it reluctantly. However if you insulted said sweater, he would beat you up.**

**Sorry there is not much in terms of change but that's how the cookie crumbles. At least for now.**

**Please leave comment/reviews as they are great motivators and increase my speed for writing**


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay! Time for a super duper long chapter. And this will not be common. But I couldn't really find a place to split this in half to feel natural. So have all of Destiny Island in this single chapter!**  
**Some fluff, world building, hopefully some more sense when building a raft.**  
**some angst**  
**What?**  
**The story is gonna start going like this, switching between Sora's and Vanitas' point of view, or at least their mindset. I don't put labels when I do this as I find that interrupting and unneeded when the story itself will refer when it is Sora's Pov or Vanitas' Pov.**

**This is probably where you'll start seeing the difference between canon Sora and FoaF Sora.**  
**So please enjoy and may this be one of the more interesting rewrites of a tutorial level you have read.**  
**Hopefully**

**(Also I will be drawing Sora and some scenes from this story on my tumblr of BlueSpinda)**

**Oh and one more thing about the Comments.**  
**If you want to talk about FOSTA or anything relating to it.**  
**DON'T USE THIS STORIES COMMENT SECTION!**

**USE FOSTAS!**  
**This is a Kingdom Hearts fanfic.**  
**And for the time being I am focusing on it.**  
**Okay?**  
**Please.**

**As always please enjoy.**  
**This will contain spoilers for Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep, and we'll work our way up.**

**Disclaimer: Square Enix Characters belong to Square Enix. And Disney Characters belong to Disney.**

**Nothing belongs to me.**

* * *

A Fragment of a Fragment  
Chapter 5  
The Storm

x

Even the one who remained awake in Sora's heart did not realize he too had a role to play that had been ordained far before his half existence formed.

Speaking of such, the being with the dark heart found himself waking up similar to Sora had from the Dive to the Heart.  
Like Sora, Vanitas did not remember much. Then again, that had been his situation for quite some time.

That strange, bizarre event in Sora's heart.

And yet despite of being at such an event, that it occurred in the first place, hardly anything changed. The oppressive atmosphere in the boy's heart was just as intense as ever. Foreboding and waiting.

Behind the mask, yellow eyes narrowed thinking, planning, and plotting. What could this mean? What was changing?  
What would happen?  
Would it affect Sora?  
And more importantly, himself?

Vanitas hated not knowing. A trait that Sora shared. Along the dream island, he paced with an anxiousness he would never show in the real world.

Only in this heart could he actually let himself to be.

One day... He'll be able to do it without the aid of another's heart.

Curious to see what his host was up to after that ordeal the dark being went into the Dive again and in the fog, peered beyond outside.

"C'mon Sora. Can you gather the rest of the supplies? We are almost done with the finishing touches. We just need to two more logs along with a can of pitch. Maybe another large cloth for an extra sail, and some more rope. About 15 meters should do. Riku and I will get the what we have into the supply box."

"Why do I have the feeling you're leaving me out of the easy work?"

"Because you left and went to be a lazy bum!"

Oh right...

The raft.

"Idiots." Vanitas muttered watching as Sora scoured the island for the supplies.

As if a tiny little wooden boat could breach the barrier of their world. The three's current theory was to try to have Kairi find them away off the horizon when breaching some... edge of the world... maybe or maybe their sea connected to some other world.

They really were idiots to think they could just... do this. Probably worse than... than... some people... from... whenever.

Even after all this time, Vanitas' older memories had still not returned.

Regardless, this little pet project of theirs did work in his favor. He didn't even need to plant the seeds of desire in Sora's heart for the boy to seek out other worlds. That was already within him from the start.

Still, that didn't solve the problem that his host could not leave the islands unless from help from an outsider... or become powerful or knowable enough to summon a corridor of darkness, which was unlikely.

...

Great.

His host wasn't completely dumb though, there were doubts that resided in his heart but he put on a smile to fool his friends and continued along their plans hoping against all odds they could do it.

Sora's faith in his friends was sicking though.

Speaking of his host not being a complete lost cause (unlike some people), he had a chance to admire the handy work his efforts to mold Sora into an ideal vessel over the years as Sora himself was completely dominating this spar with one of the other children.

From a bright young naive idealistic child with hardly a shred of meanness in him and now, 10 years later, Sora was... Capable.

Not like Vanitas could teach Sora magic or how to use a keyblade even if the kid could wield one. Communication was all but impossible. Only whims and desires, the tiniest little suggestions that came in barely concealed mummers within dreams was the only thing Vanitas could influence and even that took a lot of energy time and effort. A little secondary opinion that Sora would never hear but ring in his thoughts and heart.

Over time, Sora took those small little suggestions, on the boy's own free will, and integrated them into his own desires.

There were more similarities than a face now.

There was still much for Sora to go before he could be a perfect host for Vanitas.

Of course, one might be tempted to ask... why did not he find a way to take over Sora already?  
Surely the boy would not be aware or even mind to become more powerful.

Excellent question.  
Vanitas had tried.

And tried.

And tried.

And tried some more.

It took five years for Vanitas to realize he was not getting anywhere. Despite of the growing darkness, Sora's heart was unconquerable. It was like fighting a storm... without magic.

Worse yet, VENTUS, could sway this boy's heart like Vanitas could. However, Ventus' will was aimless. Unconscious to even itself, it tinkered out once in a while. Affecting small things, Sora's fondness for ice cream and a desire to interfere with the trouble of others. Whether or not to solve those troubles or intentionally make them worse depending if they were liked by Sora... well... that was debatable whether Ventus wanted that

Be it small, it was still Ventus trying to get his own way over Sora.

In the end, Vanitas made sure he was at the core of Sora's heart while his weaker half slept contently unaware of what was going on. That it was Vanitas who kept Ventus' weakness at bay!

HE shaped Sora and blossomed those tiny shards of darkness into those great thorny crystal vines. The boy became pragmatic, aloof and ruthless when crossed.

But not enough to corrupt his light. Vanitas ensured that. For that dark being molded Sora to have desire something to be the safeguard from being completely swallowed. To prevent Sora from ending up like another... him or like the old goat.

Only fools completely believed that darkness had no weaknesses.

As the purest form of darkness, having all the advantages of existing in the dark and controlling all that power... Vanitas knew more than any thing else that all Darkness craved Light. And that craving for something you could not have... destroyed you.

He would not lose this light that has been unwittingly offered. Someway, somehow he would take it.

Get his body.  
Get revenge.  
And finally...  
Finally...  
Be whole.

Yellow eyes watched as Sora approached Kairi, the light in the boy's heart grew to an intense level comparable to the sun giving life to a barren land.

His being felt tired... it was time to sleep again.

* * *

Sora felt off the entire day. While looking for those supplies, his mind was far far away from any tasks. Far away from the islands.  
That wasn't unusual, sometimes he liked to have his head in the clouds, but that dream from earlier was... weird... if it even was one.

Details faded from his mind... But remembered his choices.

...Maybe?

Everything felt like a haze. A fog of cotton that drifted in his mind like a boat cast out to sea without sails or oar. He thought beating Tidus up would clear his mind but, nah. No dice. Kudos to Tidus for still trying to get to his and Riku's level but the guy was better left off with playing Blitzball.  
He was the captain of their team after all. Sora had to respect that part.

He then challenged Riku when the guy was on break. Riku's logic, saying that since Sora took one, he deserved one too.

Yet the older boy agreed for a spare anyway.  
WIth him, Sora had to focus no matter what.

Recently their fights have been far more intense. Riku's calculating and paused style withstanding his ground contrasted greatly with Sora's fast and powerful strike style. Each had gotten several hits on the other. The match could have gone anywhere if not for Riku pulling out a new move by when faking getting knocked over, the older boy jumped kicked Sora right in the jaw nearly cracking it.  
That was the end of their fight.

"That was a dirty trick." Sora growled rubbing his jaw.

Riku shrugged. "I noticed that you're always following yourself up on your attacks, so I found a way to counter it. You have been doing the same thing for quite some time. So change it up." He was offering advice but Sora could hear smug undertones.

"Yeah yeah... Thanks for the fight." Sora said taking the advice at hand. Next time the results would be different... Until the next time after that where Riku would just win again.  
It was always one step forward and one step back when it came to Riku and him. No matter how much he tried, Riku just always seemed to be better.  
It was an admirable trait but also a frustrating one to see that his friend was unflappable then ever.  
Riku was always like that way. The only reason that Riku wasn't a captain of the Blitzball team was that he didn't care for the sport or to put effort in it but the coach and school were insistent on having the older teen on the team at least.

Sora walked down across the bridge, his jaw throbbing from the fight and now intent on finding another canvas for the a backup sail.

Even after exerting himself physically and now in pain he was still restless. It was probably jitters that their raft was so near complete. That their several year long dream was taking on physical shape.  
Sora really wanted to see what was out there. To see Kairi's world, that place of garden and fountains that made her eyes lit up.  
See other sights, taste new food and come back with stories to tell. Maybe meet new people... but that was the last thing on his list.  
Near the top of his list, Sora wanted to fight monsters with Riku if there were any out there.

Sora paused his activities, his mind briefly flashing to a towering black thing with yellow eyes.

...

There were, back weren't they?

He just... hoped that they could...

Riku and Kairi seemed to believe they could and that was enough for him to put on a smile and join in with them with his full dedication.

The three just finished the emergency repair box they had in case of any damage done to the raft on the journey. And then they went to the Paopu tree island to watch the sunset like they always did. No one knows when or why this tradition started but none of them were complaining.

Riku was already near the tree and Sora had just met up with Kairi when they both entered the seaside shack.  
"Sora! What did you do this time?" The redhead threw a concerned look at him when she noticed the bruise forming on his jaw. You would think she would have been used to it by now with how long she been with these two knuckleheads but they still managed to surprise her with how rowdy they got. And so close to when they set sail too.

"Oh!" He forgot that something like that would show up. "Uh... yeah... Riku and I were sparring. Y'know, the usual."

An exasperated sigh escaped from her. "I thought you two were warned not to do any dangerous stuff during your fights anymore."

Sora scratched his head sheepishly. He had forgotten about that as well. Some of the more recent brawls had been of a cause of concern for their parents. A strict warning had forbidden the two from going to town at each other.

...That warning was given two days ago.

Whoops.

He did not realize was how close Kairi had gotten to him. She was looking at his bruise. And Sora couldn't help but shift his eyes nervously, hoping against all hope his face was not as red as it felt.

Gingerly her cool hands touched the bruise and Sora couldn't help but flinch. Whether from the mark or from Kairi herself was unknown.

"See? You're going to be feeling that tomorrow." She scolded her friend. "You two are going to get in some deep trouble one of these days."

"Sorry Kairi..." Sora muttered as they climbed up the stairs to the bridge. She smiled and bumped against him telling him he was alright.

And Sora felt like he could fly when she did that.

That... has also changed about him.

They joined Riku, who gave them both an odd look before they all took their respective places. Sora and Kairi sitting on the crooked tree and Riku leaning back against it, as the golden orb slowly called it a day.

They had been discussing what could happen once they breached the horizon. So far it was less of a plan and more of a 'cross that bridge when they got there'.

Sora wondered what a place full of fountains and gardens was like. "So, Kairi's home is out there somewhere, right? It could take awhile before we find it."

"That could be." Riku said as aloof as ever. His focus seemed to be more on the sunset than on the conversation at hand. "We'll never know by staying here. And even if it takes a while, the sooner we can leave the faster we can find it." His voice became firmer, Riku's conviction was unyielding.

Feeling his jaw and remembering the odd feeling that has been disturbing him, Sora asked the question that had been bothering him from the start. "But... How far could a raft take us?"

"Who knows?" It was rattling just how Riku could say that without hesitation. Sora could not help but admire Riku's leadership and cool head "If we have to, we'll think of something else.". Riku showed no doubt. An unfathomable drive is what gravitated people towards him.  
Riku was the leader. Everyone respected him and admired him. Sora included. Slowly a fist tightened.

"So, suppose you get to another world." Kairi giggled thinking Riku's so serious attitude amusing. "What would you do there?" She knew what she would do, but that topic neither Riku or Sora spoke of much.

It was this that caught Riku off guard. He paused. "Well, I haven't really thought about it." He tried to search for a satisfying answer. They were so close. "It's just..." He decided to be honest himself since Sora first voiced his concern. "I've always wondered why we're here on this island. If there are any other worlds out there, why did we end up on this one?" The sun went lower. "And suppose there are other worlds... then our is just a little piece something much greater." And he wanted to see that. "So we could have just as easily ended up somewhere else, right?"

Sora wondered what angle Riku was going with this. Nothing was really being asked or said. "I'dunno." He said throwing out the most lackluster answer to Riku's lackluster questions.  
But apparently, that's what the older boy wanted.

"Exactly." He said standing up straighter. "That's why we need to go out there and find out." He stepped forward as though he was going to leap at the sun itself. "Just sitting here won't change a thing. It's the same old stuff."

He did not see Kairi shake her head

"So let's go."

The redhead looked at her friend, eyes trained right on her friend. "You've been thinking a lot lately, haven't you?" She asked softly wondering what has spurned Riku into this calm furor.

It was then that Riku finally turned away from the horizon. "Thanks to you. I probably would've never thought of any of this." " He gave her a warm smile very unlike his normally collected face. "Kairi, thank you."

"You're welcome."

Sora felt his insides twist as he turned the other way hoping no one would see his face.

The feeling of slowly finding his foundations ripped underneath him furthered Riku called out for him.

When he turned around, his friend had already tossed something.

What Sora caught was a Paopu fruit. The sacred ceremonial fruit of Destiny Islands since myth. The boy felt his mouth get dry and something plunged an icy fist in his gut.

"You wanted it, didn't you?" Riku asked knowingly.

"..." Sora said nothing.

"When two people share Paopu fruit,-" Riku walked passed Sora standing tall. "-their destinies become intertwined." He held a determined cool. "They'll remain a part of each other's lives no matter what."

Of course, that seriousness was ruined when Riku followed with. 'C'mon, I know you want to try it!" He teased. "And if not... then maybe I-" He left it off there running off.

"Shove it!" Sora yelled after him before begrudgingly threw the fruit away and chased after Riku, wondering what the silver-haired boy up to.

The waning crescent emitted the sliver of reflected light on this little world.

Sora laid on his bed that night on the mainland wondering why Riku had given him the fruit. Kairi was both of their friends right?

He put a pillow over his head to hide the blush and scowl.  
'It's not so simple anymore is it?'

Before he went to sleep, he wondered if there were going to be any strange dreams tonight.

One figure stared at the island in what left of the moonlight feeling drawn more and more towards what could only be his destiny

It is his destiny

* * *

In a world far beyond the stars, the royal mage, and the royal captain soon realized their particular problem.

As the stars blinked out of existence one by one by one.

* * *

If someone mentioned a Paopu fruit one more time, Sora would break something... or someone at this rate.

Everyone was hanging stars for another safe fisherman voyage that would occur in a few days. He heard a conversation of a young woman talking to her friends in the street of sharing a Paopu fruit with her long term boyfriend as a marriage proposal.

A kid crossed him on the pier today wearing a shirt with a bright yellow star.

Selphie was talking about the myth and saying how romantic it was.

In fact, that was what broke the camel's back! Fed up and raring to let loose, Tidus came up with a grand new plan to take down a notch him and Riku by having them challenge a 3 on 1. Apparently, they already tried against Riku and lost and now wanted to see if Sora would lose.

Well, unfortunately for the other trio, they caught the brown-haired boy in a foul mood. The battle was also as one-sided as it was with Riku. But instead of the older boy cold calculations that usurped their attempts, it was Sora's sheer ferocity that made them yield.

"Cha got a fish in ya pants, man?" Wakka said clutching his head. "Seems mor like ya want to wrestle a shark dan spar."

"Sorry." Sora said not really feeling sorry at all. He was still ticked off. Royally ticked off.

Tidus picked himself up from the sand. "Next time..." He groaned. "Well, definitely stronger, but Riku still is something else. He took us three-on-one as well and absolutely whooped us. I guess Kairi can always count on him" He admitted while they proceeded to rest under the shade of the day.

That only served to sour Sora's mood further.

He really shouldn't be so angry, not when they were probably only a day away from launching their raft...

But...

But...

...

Maybe, he was more like Riku than he first thought... maybe he wanted more than this tiny world had to offer?

...

Something still seems to sit right for him.

People always called him impulsive and hotheaded, this much was true, Sora would not deny this. But he knew when something was off, or different. He just didn't know what.

He wanted to solve this problem. Put it at an end before something bad happened. But... as days went on, it felt like he was losing more and more of his grasp on things.

It was like...

Like a...

...

A wave.

As he walked to the cove, anger bloomed in Sora at that odd and random thought. A spur of primal and horrific anger, it only lasted a short moment but it still existed.

Such a thing was shaken off, taken as bad morning randomness; off to the cove where the raft was located, did he spot Riku. He did not know what to think about his friend who seemed so far ahead of him.

"Hey, Sora." Riku greeted as though last evening did not happen. Casual and cool. "So I've been thinking, our raft still needs a name. How about Highwind?"

'Lame.' Was Sora's instant thought. "Falcon." he countered with what he thought was obviously better.

His friend's expression told otherwise.

"Hey, how 'bout...'

Sora knew where this was going. It was the most acceptable (and tamest) form of solving a debate between the two.

"The usual?"

The correct thing to say.

"Let's do it!" Riku said with a smirk.

"You guys at it again?"

Kairi came from the platforms above carrying some supplies. She thought she heard their voices boasting. She knew instantly what they were up to. "Alright, I'll be the judge."  
Well, it was best for them to let off some steam before she put them to work.

It was the usual rules, any route to the star 'tree' and back wins.

At first, it seemed like a casual race, not one for much stakes but Sora always wanted to up the ante.

He put on his best teasing voice. "If I win, I'm captain! And if you win..." He trailed off thinking Riku would know the wouldn't he?

"I get to share the paopu with Kairi." Riku said without much nonsense or teasing.

"Huh?" Was Sora's only response he could think of as his mind slowly began to sink in an torrent of emotions.

"Deal? The winner gets to share Paopu with Kairi." Riku said this so nonchalantly but there was a hard edge to the words that made it serious

Sora felt like he was beginning to drown. Like he was losing something.

And it was this horrific feeling of being left in the ashes that reawakened Vanitas to the Drive.

The boy in the mask felt Sora's feeling of insignificance and desperate desire pulse within the foundations. The crystals along the stained glass pillars writhed with anxiety and trembling dismay like vines. The light shining from the glass dimmed, and the crystal sprouted sharp jagged clusters in protest.

Vanitas would not allow his vessel to be weak. To lose what was important.

No matter what.

"Wait a minute..." Sora didn't want that to be at stake.

Kairi did not seem to hear what they were talking about. "On my count-"

They bolted when she said go. Sora felt blood pounding in his ears as each step was taken forward.

Nauseous and furious, a very unpleasant combination that was flue for the race. Blue eyes glared at Riku as the older boy lunged for the ladder

Gritting his teeth Sora rammed Riku away from it before running on the bottom path himself. He felt satisfaction hearing his friend grunt in surprise.

Once again, things were not 'just a race'.

With every step, Sora felt like he plummeted towards an endless cavern. He didn't know he wasn't seeing anything but the objective. All his senses shut down in the wake of a single goal.  
He could not LOSE!

If he lost it was all over!  
Nothing existed after that.  
He would not-

Sora's thoughts cut there, instead became a whirling torrent of unchained emotions that were indistinguishable from one another. He wasn't even aware where Riku was in proximity, all he knew was once his hand felt the artificial star tree, he had to run back.  
Back.  
Back.  
Otherwise, there would be no way back.

Before Sora knew it he was panting near the Cove entrance just him. Vision blurry and unfocused while he gasped for breath doubled over. A blurry form of Riku caught up and join breathing heavy but not as hard as Sora.

Sora said nothing, trying to stand up straight, trying to focus on the silver-haired boy.

Riku just merely quirked an eyebrow. 'Man, lightened up. It's just a name, after all."

The boy's brow furrowed in confusion, humiliation and outraged and so many other feelings indescribable.

"What's with that look? Oh... that Paopu thing? It was just a joke. You should have seen your face." The older boy laughed lightly as to mean no harm at all.

Riku proceeded to tell Sora that they need more stuff and to talk to Kairi before proceeding to walk off as though nothing happened.

Sora felt his body tremble, it took several minutes for him to calm down. Riku was his closest and best friend. Since even before Kairi.  
But lately, it felt like Riku had reached a level Sora could not reach anymore.

It was infuriating. No matter how hard he worked, nothing seemed to reach his friend's level. Was... was he weak? Or just that ordinary?

Sora refused to continue those thoughts. He forced his feet to trudge forward to continue what seemed to be the only common ground these days.

The raft.

Inside Sora's heart, Vanitas glared both at Sora and at Riku.

Sora with contempt at being manipulated and worked up like that and at Riku for using his host's desires and emotions against him.

Though... could Vanitas wondered if he himself use this?

Back with the boy, Sora pulled one of the raft's supplies crate over his head with ease and brought it towards the raft. They needed some more emergency food supplies. Already there was enough for two weeks, but extra would not hurt.

He saw Kairi working on something. When she saw him, she put it away before he got a good look at it.

She smiled at him. "Good job on the race. You were like sloop on a bora wind." She looked at him with the same look she gave him when she saw his bruise yesterday. "Though you didn't look so good afterward. What's wrong?"

Like Sora knew that. "Nothin'." He said slinging his arms behind his head. "I just wanted to beat Riku. He got me yesterday but it was my turn to win today!"

She cast him a curious gaze that sent Sora's brain into a fritz and made his eyes avert hers. So many things that could not be identified.

"If you say so!" Her smile seemed to cast away all the previous worries. "We just have a few more provisions for our trip to go. Riku is going to the mainland for dehydrated rations and a drying rack. Sora I need you to grab some more fish, water, coconuts, mushrooms and if you happen to go to the mainland, please grab some eggs."  
She was so eager.

They really were going to do it.

Tomorrow they would leave on the raft and find out whether or not they could get to another world.

Sora felt torn.

Vanitas scowled at the weak conviction of his vessel. Regardless of what the boy's heart sensed lately, he should not be so shaken by the petty observations. So what if Riku was pinning for the same girl Sora was? That meant nothing.

Sora would have to take action.  
Vanitas would ensure that.  
Waiting around with petty little dreams and stargazing does nothing.  
Either you did something for yourself...  
Or someone else would make you.

Just like Ventus.

He wanted to put the seed of influence in Sora but right now wasn't a good time. Not to mention it would be nothing that Sora hadn't 'heard' before, merely reinforcing it.

Vanitas wished to know if this exiguous conviction was Ventus' interference with the boy's heart (or maybe just to mock the wayward wind). He trudged down into the depths of Sora's heart. The pathways becoming more fractured and unstable while the vines began to pale and shrink until he reached the blank white pillar that dear ol'Ventus rested peacefully with his cherubic face. Dreaming sweet dreams of ice cream, friends and whatever else Ventus had that Vanitas lacked in his life.

The black mask faded revealing the darker features of Sora on Vanitas' face. Those wolfish yellow eyes saw that nothing has changed about the lighter half.

"How do you always seem to get what you want Ventus?" Vanitas questioned his other half. "Even as a pawn and unconscious, you always have a way to get whatever you desire, be it shattering both our hearts or manipulating Sora as you snooze on peacefully." His face became a snarl before slamming a fist against that invisible barrier. The only thing that protected Ventus from having his neck wrung by Vanitas.

"And yet you couldn't handle your own darkness. You averted your eyes when the truth was so clearly presented in front of you. You chased after those stronger than you, thinking they were invincible while unable to hear their silent pleas of help and common sense. It's quite sad actually." He trailed a black adorned hand down the barrier. "You messed up so many times... it's a miracle that you still actually exist. And yet... Here you are... still being helped like a child, pandered and protected. Even Sora's heart knows you're defenseless on your own."

Vanitas stepped back, churning the hatred inside of him to clear his mind and think of his next step.

First, clarify the situation.  
Plan out accordingly.  
Things were still going very smoothly.

Sora and his little pals were planning to leave this world, either by that dumb raft... or maybe some other means. Regardless, Sora's friends were had been bestowed keyblades. Sooner or later those two would gain theirs and eventually find a way outside. And most likely they'll bring Sora along.

Kairi... he did not have to worry about. Despite having a pure heart of light, the exact opposite of what he was, the way she acted was... familiar.

Like... she...  
Someone... from those memories of his, was... similar? Maybe...

Anyway.  
Kairi was of no worry. She was dedicated to her friends, first and foremost, and would go against her very nature to leave Sora behind or harm him. Kairi was a tool for Vanitas to use to twist Sora for his own ends and for the better.

It was Riku who was of concern. That small little possible bump in the road in Vanitas' vision of the future.

Sora's heart was darkened, as of all beings had it (sans Kairi and... maybe someone else?), but not unstable.  
The boy still remained true to his heart more than ever. Vanitas ensured that.

Riku however... like someone else from the past Vanitas could not remember, the boy hungered for power.

For what ends, Vanitas did not care.  
But his heart, too, has darkened. Similar and differently than Sora's. He was cautious of the older boy. Yet despite all of this somehow... SOMEHOW, Sora and Riku remained...friends.

Vanitas did not understand it. The two seemed like they were ready to tear each other throats at times and yet both still shared such a bond much similar to Ventus and... someone else.

And unlike that... someone else... Riku was probably more dangerous.

If... or most likely when... They got to another world. Vanitas would have to take extra measure to gain more power for his vessel.

* * *

The fish were on the drying rack, he snagged some seagull eggs (no one could tell the difference), Green coconuts for the water inside of them and a few nearly brown ones for the white nut meat inside.

Now Sora was just looking for the local variety of mushrooms. Those that grew along the palms of the coast and rocks were non-poisonous unlike those that grew in more dense flora.  
He had gathered several bunches but they probably needed a few more since he and Riku were fans of mushrooms.

There was one place... they grew in frequent clusters.

...

The Secret Place.

He hadn't been here in a while. Riku and him and Kairi use to draw in there frequently but now not so much with the raft being their main concern. Some of the younger children had probably found it but not ventured too far as very rough scribbles only marked the beginning entrance.

Further in... was the main cavern. With all the doodles of his friends and those from the past... and the unmarked door.

He found a mushroom cluster right next to a particular drawing.  
The one of his face... and Kairi's.

* * *

Riku had been busy helping his dad on that day.

That meant he and Kairi could spend the day together...

Just... Just the two of them.

Him... and Kairi.

Sora got warm fuzzy feelings whenever he was with Kairi.  
It had been a year since she came to their island. When she fell with the stars. He was now six and so was she.  
And Riku was about to turn seven.

Riku was his best friend since forever and coolest friend.

Kairi was also his best friend. His special best friend who was different from Riku.  
They both had been spending the day playing on the island. She had gotten a lot better at swimming and she taken upon climbing the big trees long the cove.

She even asked Riku and Sora to teach her about sword fighting (though the boys only wacked each other with wooden swords). Much to her confusion, both of them seem reluctant to play with her with swords.  
Kairi didn't know why though. This island was always for children to play at, learn about nature, keep their bodies fit, and for them to compete. The adults seemed fine for all the kids to go at each other in various of competitions.

Kairi also learned the practicality extended to their school.  
They had educations like maths, and literature and history, but there was also a lot about navigating the sea, looking at the weather, how houses are built, woodcrafts, metalcrafts, and many other practical skills.

Maybe she could get Tidus to play with her. He was nice.

So far she and Sora had been drawing images in the sand but the tide kept washing them away.  
After their seven attempt (they were very determined), Kairi made her frustration visible.

"Nothing's working." She told her friend. Sora had been rather weird today.

Almost jumpy.

"Yeah..." Sora said looking glum, saddened by the water making the sand once again a clean near white slate. It was a bright sunny day, almost too hot for the sun was a bright and high orb. The sand reflected like diamonds, and the trees were still from the lack of wind. The ocean was hot and muggy.

The summer months were getting closer now and Sora would be spending more time on the boats with his dad.

So he really needed to spend more time having fun with his friends before that.

"Maybe we should try to find hermit crabs." Kairi said half-heartedly.

Sora thought long and hard.  
"Well... can... I show you something?"

Kairi's eyes instantly sparkled.

Sora took her over to the spring pool. "Riku and I discovered this place a year ago. Nobody else really knows about it. It's hard to see." Right near the pathway of it, he pushed aside a thick current of vines and moss. Another part of it was hidden by tree roots.

It was a very dark tunnel.  
Kairi looked at it a bit nervously at the small entrance.

The boy noticed this."Don't worry! There are no monsters!" He said with a grin as though proud of that. "Even if there were..." He added his voice suddenly a bit quieter. "-I would protect you..." His feet shifted along the sandy earth.

"Huh?" Kairi did not hear him due to the waterfall next to them.

As though a startled rabbit, Sora jumped. "Uh! Nothing! I'll go first!" He only ducked his head to enter.  
Kairi followed behind him, eyeing the rocky walls with the tree roots growing along it. It seemed completely different from anywhere on the islands. There was a refreshing breeze inside of it and everything took on a calming hue.  
Soon both children entered a large rocky room with even more tree roots growing out the walls.

There were only a few pale scribbles on the walls. It looked like familiar things Riku and Sora draw.

"Riku and I come in here time to time. Though he hardly draws on the walls with me. We think some of the older kids might know about this place. There were drawings before we got here. But so far, only he and I know of it in our group. But I'm letting you here because you're special Kairi."

He noticed Kairi's attention wasn't on the subject. Her eyes were glued on the most mysterious thing about the Secret Place. A tall ominous wooden door, standing like a spectator over all in here. For all those who saw it, it was a plain wooden plank with golden trim around it.

"Is... that a door?" Kairi asked, her voice small yet echo rimmed around the walls.

"I'dunno." Sora shrugged with hands behind his head. "It never opens and there is no way to open it." He turned to the wall near it. A nice smooth large surface. "But I wanted to show you that we can draw in here. And... What we do, will stay on."

This seemed to snap Kairi out of her daze. "Oh! That sounds neat." She looked around. "What should we draw?"

Sora paused. He didn't think of that. He looked around. Besides the 'door' all there were was were rocks, tree roots, and more rocks.  
Oh... And some mushrooms.

"I got an idea!" Kairi announced after seeing her friend at a lost. "How about each other?"

"Huh?"

"You know. Like our faces."

"Oh! I get it now. Okay! I'll draw yours and you can draw mine!"

They both grabbed smaller chalky rocks from the ground and began to doodle near the door.

The soft whispering breeze did not bother them, and the little scrapes across the rock began to fill the chamber.

Just the two of them, enjoying what they were doing together.

And for Sora, he felt his chest throbbing. His still young mind did not know what this meant, but... it was a good feeling. A weirdly joyful feeling. He never felt this way around anyone. He was always warm around Kairi.

Their drawings were done, his scratchy interpretation of Kairi. Her's, a more solid version of him and his spiky hair.  
They were smiling, true to when they smiled every time they saw each other.

Ever since he found her on the beach, with the stars falling from the sky, She was special. He wanted her to stay here, or go on adventures with him.  
He didn't want her to go away.

He touched the crown necklace for courage and hope.

In the present time, the same boy found himself sitting down with the same type of chalky rock and slowly drawing the thing that seemed to intentionally show itself to him today.

It had been on his mind a lot, even before Riku threw him the fruit. They were going to be heading out soon to possibly uncharted territory. Leaving everything behind.

Things could change.

For better or for worse.

The rock scrapped across the wall, defining the image further and defining what he wanted to do further.  
Tomorrow...they would sail.  
He would take a Papou fruit with them... and if they found Kairi's world... he would give it to her.

He drew back, it was the image of him Kairi drew back then, what he added was him giving the Kairi drawing a star.

Blue eyes stared at it. For quite some time, this had been his deepest desire. More than finding worlds.  
He just wanted to stay with her.  
Both Riku and her. He just wanted to stay with them. Sora didn't know why, but he just felt ...right with them. Everything was okay with them.

Something cold came from behind him. A chilling sensation, bone cold that made the hairs on the back of his neck raise. Sora breath stopped.

Vanitas abruptly awakened, feeling that chilling sensation. It felt like...

Like...  
...

He could Not remember.

But why, In the presence in this boy's heart, did he feel like his own blood had frozen?  
And why in where the void of his heart did it seem like hate erupting like fire when there was no one seen.  
Wait...

Immediately Sora stood up and turned around. "Wh-who's there?"

It was hard to see in the dark cave, particularly the place where the wooden wall remained. It was always dark there.  
And yet while his eyes failed, somehow, somehow he could tell someone... something was there.

It was a deep voice, colder than the cavern, and somehow everything began to feel claustrophobic.

"I've come to see the door to this world."

Vanitas felt his hate being overcome with cold grip of fear as well.  
Door to the world...  
Was this?  
It didn't feel like his master...  
But this thing...

Was definitely of the Dark.

He urged Sora to attack or to run.

Sora was not someone easily scared. Bullies, adults in authority, being on a boat at storm at sea, the odd shark that shows up on shore, none of that really got to him. Whether it was a thick head or trick of bravery and courage... well no one really knew.

But this?  
Something horrid sprouted in Sora's chest... And he wanted to run away. Far faster than he wanted to win that race.  
No words could emerge.  
And his body would not move.

"This world has been connected."

The mention of 'World' managed to break Sora out of his frozen tongue. "Wh-what... are you talking about?" He gulped, fighting that urge to run.

"Tied to the darkness..." Sora didn't know if that was an answer to his question. "Soon to be completely eclipsed."

An inevitable indomitable black wave...

Bravado the boy didn't feel spilled into words. "Well, whoever you are, you better leave this place alone before I get mad!"

He tried to stand a little straighter as to make true on his threat. "Where d-did you come from?!" He demanded.

The silhouette did not look like it moved but was seemed to be staring in his direction. "You do not yet know what lies beyond the door."

A sense of familiarity rang in Sora at the mention of 'door' but right now it was all he could do to think what he was going to say next.

Tentatively he asked "A-are... are you from another world?" He remembered this 'guy' mentioning the term.

Once again the figure did not address the question directly."There is so very much to learn... You understand so little." And for once the monotonous voice seemed to have taken a slight condescending edge.

As usual with Sora, anger overtook his fear. "Oh, yeah? Well, you'll see! I will get out and learn what's out there!" He wanted to learn. He wanted to explore! There was so much out there!

The 'figure' thought otherwise. "A meaningless effort."

"One who knows nothing can understand nothing."

The figured looked at the faux door.

Sora felt compelled to stare at it too.

He turned back to give the guy a piece of his mind...

And the 'figure' was gone.

Sora never thought he could bolt out of a place so fast when crouching.

Feeling the sun on his skin was a refreshing reminder that he was indeed still here.

But... what was up with that?  
Was... w-was he seeing things?  
Was it the stress about the whole Paopu fruit thing that made him crack?

Sora didn't want to think about it. Was too scared to think about it. What did it mean?

And Vanitas wondered the same thing.

He had grown far too comfortable with complacency in this boy's heart. It was time; sooner or later this world would be swallowed by darkness, and he will have to ensure his host comes out for the better.  
He NEEDED this to be his vessel.  
He was far closer to getting a real heart than he ever got with Ventus.  
He spent 10 years cultivating Sora into something better than just himself! Far better than whatever Ventus would do to him!

Vanitas needed to find a way to guide the boy further. To bend Sora further to his whims.  
Question was:  
How?

* * *

Sora trudged back to where Kairi was, his mind still fully on the odd event that transpired rather than the Paopu he had been determined to share with her earlier.

The redhead was still near the raft, this time leaning against it and working on something. She did not put it away from his gaze.

"What's that?" He asked desperately for anything to take his mind off of the cold ill feeling in his gut from the Secret Place.

"This?" Kairi said, her eyes still on it. "I'm making a necklace of Thalassa shells."

Sora's eyes widened.

"You two told me that long ago, sailors always wore thalassa shells. They even do it to this day. They were supposed to ensure a safe voyage."

She grinned at him and showed him what she was making out of them. "See this?" She said holding up the partially formed thalassa shell star, it was almost done. "It's a charm to help us find each other if we ever get separated. The three of us will always be together."

Sora felt very touched that Kairi was making this. That her thoughts coincide with his in a mutual desire to never be separated from each other or Riku.  
His mother's charm for his father always worked, he always came back.

So it should work for them.

Sora had finished wrapping everything up in waterproof bags and tightly contained within the storage crate before attacking it with rope to the raft so it wouldn't fall off.

It was nearly evening.  
Kairi was impressed that he found so much. "Thanks, Sora! I got something for you today too!" She handed him a very pretty and shiny rock. It was kinda cool thing between them if they found anything interesting they often exchanged stuff with each other.

"You think everything is all set?" Sora asked as they began to walk away from the raft. Kairi nodded.

"Yep. Supplies, rations, water, navigation. I triple checked and everything is good."

"Alright." Sora said. "Where's Riku then?" He noticed his best friend had been absent today. Sora didn't know if that was a bad thing or a good thing in regards to this morning.

Then again, he would take Riku's ribbing if it meant getting his mind off of what happened in that stranger... person.

If there was even one in the first place.

Yeah, Sora needed to talk to Riku.

A mighty need was there to talk to Riku. Ask him what his thoughts were concerning that there next big move was so close.

Maybe it was the huge moment that has caused all of them to feel off.

Was it excitement? Or something else?

Riku was a steady presence who would know what to do.

"Let's go to the pier and wait. We can watch the sun from there." Sora offered once on the seaside shore.

Kairi agreed and the two did the near-daily tradition at the pier.

They sat in silence while Kairi continued to work on her necklace.

"He's late." Sora said looking at the mainland. "Riku's never late. He must really be worried." Sora said half joking.

That got a small giggle out of his friend. "He might get sick from stressing too much. She said as she weaved another shell along with delicate string and needle. "We may have to delay our trip.

"Like that will stop Riku. He'll probably just drag himself over and bring some medicine along anyway."

They both laughed.

Kairi looked at Sora and back at the sun. Her tone a touch lower. "You know, Riku has changed." She said thinking of the past year.

Sora quirked an eyebrow at her. So she had the same thoughts? "How so?" He asked her to elaborate.

"Well..." Kairi looked for proper words to say. She saw Sora's face and realized just how much this boy was worrying about Riku and all of them.  
He had seemed rather put off today.

"You okay?" He asked her growing more concerned. Inwardly Kairi smiled. Typical Sora, always worrying about others even when he wasn't okay himself. She wondered...

"Sora, let's take the raft and go! Just the two of us!" She said smiling. Wouldn't that be a wild adventure?

Joy and warmth overtook Sora in a flash, along with a lot of surprise at the suggestion. "Huh?" Once again worlds failed him but for very different reasons.

"Just kidding." Kairi said all too quickly and while Sora was a tiny bit disappointed, there was some relief that they both wanted Riku to come along. "What's gotten into you?" He wondered if she was trying to cheer him up.

He looked at her, the way Kairi was laughing so openly. Was so outgoing and teasing and it was her who was cheering him up now these days instead of the other way around back when they were kids. How she wanted to, jokingly or not, spontaneously go off on an adventure. How she was ready to take charge.  
"You're the one that's changed, Kairi."

"Maybe..." She did not disagree with his observation. She was different.  
Kairi looked at Sora, who was still very much that goofy and happy boy she met all those years ago, had also gone a very different path than what most would expect.

"You know,-" Kairi began to admit. "I was a little afraid at first, but now I'm ready. No matter where I go or what I see, I know I can always come back here." Her words once again struck a chord within her friend. So Kairi had the same fears he did, but even then she wanted to go forth. His own fears about it seemed to fade.  
Kairi always made everything seem better.

"Right?" It was less like she was asking for confirmation on her own end and more for Sora's sake.

"Yeah, of course!" He said already feeling better. He would be fine with them. With her.

"That's good." And it was as if she knew his doubts and already eased them.

"Sora... don't ever change." Kairi said looking towards the horizon once again.

That caught Sora by surprise. "Huh?"

She stood up apparently not hearing his confusion.  
"I just can't wait. Once we set sail, it'll be great." Her voice was a whisper by the end. Slowly and slowly the orb in the sky inched down and told the children it was time to go back.

Sora was reluctant to go back. The further he from Kairi as they rowed back to the mainland, the more his previous worries seemed to surge back up.  
It like someone was telling him not to relax.

The feeling got stronger when they spotted Riku at the docks.

The older friend seemed, well, different. Distracted. He kept staring at the island, didn't even notice when Sora and Kairi approached.

"Nice to see you too." Sora said noticing the silver-haired boy wasn't even aware of them.

Riku said nothing.

"Riku?" Kairi muttered, her voice cautious.

This seemed to grab his attention. "Oh... Just... worried about tomorrow..." He said to them, his voice equally soft.

"So even you worry." Sora attempted a joke to lighten the atmosphere but that seemed to fall flat. "Hey." He tapped his friend's arm and that got Riku to stare at him. "We got it. No problems here, okay?"

Riku seemed to smile, maybe it was the slowly dimming light but it looked quite fake yet somehow enthusiastic at the same time.

"I'm surprised you managed to get everything done today." He voice returned back to its usual confident tone. "Thought we were going to have to delay our take off."

"Hey!" Sora growled. "What about you? It felt like you ditched Kairi and me to do all the touch-ups. What held you up here?"

Riku paused. "I was... My dad told me to run some errands for him... Couldn't say no." He let out an exasperated sigh. "Hopefully you two didn't screw up without me."

They laughed together as they all walked home, going their separate ways on the three-way street.

This would be the last time these three would walk down the street together. It will take two years before they do again.  
And it will never be the same.

Sora went home and said hello to his parents. The smell of dinner was almost revolting to him, and the house felt claustrophobic. For some strange reason he felt compelled to give them both a hug.  
...He was leaving tomorrow... right?

His previous fears that had been chased away by Kairi came back full force, as he dwelled on what the mysterious 'figure' and if what he really saw was true.

Kairi almost went home. When her hand reached the knob of the door, she stopped.

It was as though a cry of fear emanated from the island, the very land, sea and sky itself. As if the very streets turned darker around her and became unknown.  
She fled back, back to the island. Wanting to be away, away from the horror that wanted what she held.

Just like last time.  
9 years ago.

This time, she could not stand idly by. Her heart knowing where to lead her feet as her mind became rushed with terror.

Riku did not go home at all. He turned around as soon as the group separated. Driven and hurried on.  
He would not stay in this place any longer.  
It was time to open the door.  
He needed to open it.  
It was his destiny.

* * *

The the Chronicler, the dog, Court Magician, and the Guard Captain left their world, in search of the man named Leon to aid them in their quest for the missing king. They were not aware that a star was about to disappear

* * *

.

Vanitas felt it before Sora saw it.  
The rising darkness. An invasion of those who were called and desperately longed for a light to claim as their own. Similar... but very different from him. Driven by instinct for something they could never comprehend, those dark creatures, those who dwelled in the corridors of darkness, that have never been given a name.  
They were here.

Sora's heart shook knowing of the impending fate what awaited these tiny islands and tiny world.  
And in that moment, when Sora saw the 'storm' coming for to rain down the demise, Sora acted within both his accord, Vanitas' accord, and Ventus' accord, whether they knew it or not.

To not idle and go to the source.

While the hearts of the resident remained unaware of the eclipse, three who have touched beyond and sought it, came together for one last time.

Sora's mother called her son down for dinner. Kept calling him, growing more and more concerned when he did not answer back.  
The husband eased his wife's worries saying that Sora could come down when he wanted to as they both danced merrily to their favorite tune trying to keep the primal fear hidden in the depths of their hearts at bay.

It was a daze from the docks and rowing on the rough sea. A blur and a dream. Before Sora knew it he was at the island, but everything was so wrong.

The orb in the sky that was neither the sun or moon, hovered above with a torrent of chaos.

"W -what is that?" He felt both scared and drawn to it.  
Something more important caught his attention though. "Riku's boat. And Kairi's!" Dread filled Sora. He had to find them! Before...  
Before...

Raft... They had to be...

He ran.

And yellow eyes met him.

The creatures from his dream.  
And like the dream. Fury filled him.

All he had was the little wooden sword but even that didn't stop Sora from swinging it down. It only seemed to slightly affect the black thing. A small scratch and more monster rose to the surface.

Vanitas cursed Sora for being so weak.

Deciding that this would not be a fair fight, the boy fled further with the island. They were slow and had difficulties running or even walking across the sand.  
The wind howled and the waves crashed against the normally peaceful beach like the heartbeat of a giant.

A figure! A figure on the Paopu Island! Forgoing the normal route, Sora climbed on the wood shack roof and went straight towards the little landmass.

Silver Hair!

"RIKU!" He called out on the bridge. Riku did nothing. Did not even turn to Sora.  
Kairi was not with him.

"Where's Kairi? I thought she was with you!" Sora's voice was filled with heat and worry. Where was she?  
Where was she?

"The door has opened..."

Sora felt his anger growing that no one was ever answering his questions these days.

"WHERE! IS! KAIRI!" Sora bit out.

"Now we can go to the outside world!" Riku said finally turning to face his friend. For the first time today, Riku actually sounded happy.

"I don't care unless we find Kairi!"

Riku seemed to take personal offense to that. "Kairi's coming with us!" Those eyes seemed almost to glow in the dark.

Sora only grew angrier. Did he not see what was happening?

"Once we step through, we might not be able to come back." The older boy said, unknowingly directly contradicting what Kairi said earlier. He stared at the black orb with fascination. Sora wanted to be fascinated by it too, but Kairi was far more important and ground him to reality.

"We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back. But this may be our only chance. We can't let fear stop us!" Riku welled up all his hopes and dreams in one single cry. "I'M NOT AFRAID OF THE DARKNESS!" Riku reached out to his dearest friend. His best friend.  
The one who relied upon him for ages.  
He reached out, for Sora to follow him like always.

Sora was very sure a voice in his head that was not exactly his own called Riku a fool.

"Riku..." Sora didn't know whether to feel fury or desperation.

Then that inky pool bloomed at Riku's feet. Those tendrils reached up... and began to drag him down. Riku remained unafraid.

Sora knew this was not a good idea. Whomever called his friend a fool, was probably right.  
Yet as he stepped forward for his friend in the pool of black, it too reached for Sora and he felt comfortable in it. The coldness, made it seem anything he desired was within reach.

Everything would be okay... That what it seemed to whisper.

Yet... he promised to himself.  
All three of them would go together!

His worry about Kairi made him pull away from the darkness. Pull away from Riku.  
He had to find her.

He had to find- ...

The last thing he saw of his best friend were those icy blue eyes staring in shock of Sora's actions.

And then there was light.

It was familiar yet strange. Comforting yet foreign. Calming and alarming. Sora felt a weight in his hand, more perfect than the sword from... somewhere.

When Sora opened his eyes, Riku was gone.  
In his hand, was a large... key...  
Silver or steel with the teeth of a crown, blunt but also looking impossibly sharp. The handle, some sort of leather wrapping, the 'guard' was gold with subtle engravings that seemed to appear only in the corner of the eye. Attached at the end was a chain holding three interlocking circles.

Vanitas shuddered as the image of Sora in his heart's foundations, one the surface of Sora, appeared a keyblade in his hand. "A keyblade..."

Sora looked at the blade again and learned its name.

Keyblade...

Keyblade...

Keyblade...

"A keyblade..."

That voice was different.

Those black creatures showed up again interrupting any further contemplation. Instinctively Sora knew that whatever he held in his hand:

COULD KILL THEM!

All his anger at the current moment, his sadness of what might happen, the anxiety of the possibilities, and his worry over his friends. He channeled it into his swings. Each strike was engulfed with fury that made these black creatures explode with pink things flew out.  
Sora didn't care.

He had to find Kairi.

He was lead to the Secret Place. It was the source of all things. Sora did not think this, he knew.

And there was a giant ornate door in front of the secret place that wasn't there before.

He rushed in uncaring of the creatures at his heels. He saw her. Joy erupted in him that she was here.

"Kairi!" He called out, hoping against all hope she was unharmed.

She was staring at that thing,

The unmarked door.

Kairi turned around.  
And Sora felt his heart plummet of how ill she looked.

Her voice was very much unlike her normally strong self. Weak and fragile.  
Just like when he first saw her.  
"S...o...r...a..." She reached out as though pleading for help.

But then something black erupted from the unmarked door when it opened. It flung Kairi towards Sora who was ready to catch her. Catch her and never let go, but she was gone.  
Before Sora could even process this, he too was flung back.  
And blacked out.

Inside his heart, Vanitas felt his being fall on the floor as something quaked.

The boy felt himself land on something both hard and soft jolting his eye open to face a nightmare.  
Worse than his nightmares.

Amidst a howling void, there was a tiny piece of land with wood. The winds whipped like screams and deafened his ears and seared his eyes. The orb above him had grown larger and stronger.

And somehow even more terrifying than this, was the creature, the large one from his dream, was right behind him.

Sora had every reason to be afraid. He didn't know what was going on. He couldn't find his friend nor knew where they went. His island wasn't here. And everything was out of control.

He knew nothing.

Well, except for one thing.  
That somehow all of this was the creature's fault.  
And that one lone fact was enough for the boy to override any fear, sadness, sorrow, and worry.  
And turned it into rage.

Gripping his new weapon, Sora lunged at the black giant.

The creature was on its knees charging up that laser thing in its chest, Sora dodged what came out of it, those wisps and crawled up its arm to attack the face. It took several strikes before it backed off and Sora felt his back throbbing in pain from when those wisp landed on him. He ignored it. The creature lunged forth and struck the grown summoning the inky black disc where tinier creatures stepped out.  
Sora ignored these in his furor to destroy the big one. They scrapped at his ankles and he turned around to strike them down. Barely he turned around just in time to see the giant falling right where he was.

He jumped out of the way where it slammed its whole arm into the ground. It was planning something and Sora didn't want to find out what.

"GIVE!" He raised that strange blade. "ME!" His legs hurled him forth as the ground underneath him disappeared. "BACK!" His eyes glowed with something horrible that dwelled within. "MY!" Tendrils of darkness appeared at the edge of that key. "ISLAND!"

The keyblade cleaved right through the head of the enemy and that seemed to be the last thing holding everything together. The vortex above roared angrily and sucked the giant towards it.  
Quickly Sora grasped on the piece of wood that seemed stuck to the ground.  
He didn't want to go where it was going. He wanted his island back. He wanted his friends back.

He wanted his light back.

His hand slipped against the cutting splinters and jagged edge and he was sucked in the beyond he so desperately wanted to go to before.

End of Chapter 5

* * *

**Ah... fluff**  
**And angst**  
**Wut?**

**So we see the dynamic of the Destiny Trio and hopefully this seemed natural considering the dynamic and changes I made personally.**  
**and some motivations seemed... to be appropriate.**  
**I do have fun writing Vanitas and don't worry. It won't just be him just talking to a sleeping Ventus.**  
**His dialogue and perspective is always fun to write.**

**Once again it is very hard to change much about how the games did the tutorial story part as... It was already pretty good at getting their points across with such limitations back then.**  
**We'll be seeing those changes I make in the next chapter.**  
**Hope you all enjoyed it. I certainly look forward to next chapter as well.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the long pause in between. I had been working on so much fan art including two shipping weeks. Holy crap. Lots of art.**

**But I got another editor (technically two). One is the famous and most fabulous and spectacular RevengeRevisted. She has been a big help with helping write Vanitas and future ideas and themes to the Kingdom Hearts story that could be implemented in this story.**

**The other one shall be addressed for now as Mod B.**

**Thank you so much for everyone who has supported me thus far. I really appreciate all the likes and comments. They do help.**  
**as always enjoy the story.  
**

* * *

_A Fragment of a Fragment_

By True-InTha-Blue

Chapter 6

Traverse Town  
x

Vanitas saw he had company in the dive.

He was still sitting on the main pillar— blue in hue with a sleeping Sora design etched in the glass. Next to the image were two large circles, one of Riku and one of Kairi... Kairi's was now slightly bigger.

The rest of the details were unimportant.

The light that illuminated the glass was bright, but not enough to be blinding. Further down, the thorns inched forth bit by bit.

Across from Vanitas lay the actual Sora, clutching a keyblade.

_An honest, real, keyblade.  
__Right there._

Blue eyes opened.

"You really are something else," Vanitas mused quietly from behind his mask.

This seemed to jolt the other boy awake. Sora's mind was a flurry of thoughts and a blur of emotions. He was on his feet with the blade ready to attack.

How cute.

"W-who are you?" Sora asked before his face became a snarl. "W-where am I?! WHERE ARE MY FRIENDS?!"

Vanitas merely tilted his head. "So... this time you _can_ see me. I wonder..." Without moving his head, he looked at the weapon.

"ANSWER MY QUESTIONS!" Sora felt off and wasn't liking this guy, not how he looked nor how he could feel his hidden eyes on the weapon.

Those hidden eyes rolled in their sockets. Looks like Ventus' weakness had infected his host more than Vanitas had thought. "Your _'friends'…?"_ He nearly sneered at the term. "I don't know. I truly don't. As for who I am, and where you are?" Vanitas stood up. He was taller than Sora and stronger-looking, too. "Well... let's see if you can come here a second time. Then I'll tell you," he teased. Vanitas wanted to be sure his host could come back. _Very_ sure. Oh, how long had it been since he'd gotten to mess with someone?

To talk to someone?

To _feel_ like someone?

Vanitas killed those weak thoughts before they could be acknowledged.

Sora was not going to be deterred by this stranger. His face was red from worry and budding anger, his eyes narrowed. He'd faced a giant for crying out loud; he could take this person, weird black-and-red jumpsuit or not.

"Oh, don't give me that look. I just want to make sure it's not a fluke. If you come again, then, maybe we can actually work something out..." The stranger casually walked towards the boy, getting a good chance to see his future vessel's face. So much like Ventus... But then again... VERY much like _him._ "You've got to sort some stuff out on your own."

The boy had already exceeded expectations. A keyblade? Transported to a different world? Confronted and already using darkness?

Oh, things were about to get _**interesting!**_

"How would I get back here again?" Sora asked, still glaring at his own reflection on the stranger's mask. "You haven't explained anything!" The boy tightened his grip on the blade's hilt.

Vanitas chuckled. "Oh, don't worry. This place will always be with you. It is only a matter of if you _really _want to know how to get back. Real question is, how much do you _want_ to come back?"

And with that, intentional or unintentional, the scene before Sora blurred, and he saw...

A yellow dog.

"What... a dream..." he sighed, and decided his time was best spent sleeping some more.

A harsh press to his chest by the dog protested otherwise. "This isn't a dream!" Then what was the dream? The guy in the mask? The black creature? What? Who?

Where were his friends?!

He scrambled up quickly, ignoring the strange-looking dog.

"Where am I?" The sky was night, and brick buildings with slate roofs were all that was to be seen. He was in an alleyway.

Everything was... different. Very different. More different than it should be.

The dog was also _different._

It almost seemed like it knew... Sora didn't know why... but he asked the dog if it knew where his friends were.

The dog raised an ear and ran off.

"Jerk," Sora muttered, seeing that he was left alone. He had to find his friends, wherever they were.

He had to find them.

He didn't want to think about the reality that had only recently transcribed.

Just outside the alleyway, there was a large plaza with several restaurants on the side, complete with bright lamps, warm orange windows with web-like motifs, brick and plaster buildings with high vaulted roofs, and ornate wrought black iron fencing decorating the buildings. The material was used very different from any way Sora had seen before.

Very _different._

"Th-this..." Sora began trying to mentally catch up with all that had just happened. "This has to be another world." He wanted to be excited— happy and joyous for finally seeing something _beyond _what he had ever dreamed of before.

But not like this... Not like this!

There was an ache that hadn't been there before.

Sora fled through the nearest door he saw— a double door with diamond windows.

Inside were wooden floors, fancy sleek couches, and a table with glass cases containing various shiny and pretty-looking trinkets. A large glowing crystal sat at the end of the counter.

Behind the counter was a man who looked both young and old, with bright blond hair and a gruff demeanor Sora had only seen on fishermen who fought sharks and tidal waves.

"Hey there." The old man turned around. "How can I— Aw, it's only a kid." He saw a sturdy-looking boy slam his back into the door, looking perturbed and worried.

'_Oh boy... looks like he just lost his.' _The old man felt pity for the kid. It was always scary to know your world had just been lost.

The first step was to just make the kid comfortable by easing him into it. Not confirming it, just letting the kid figure out the situation himself while offering a steady hand.

The kid did not seem to like the tone of voice the old man had for him. "It's not 'kid'! It's Sora," he growled, finding that having someone to lash out at helped keep the previous terribleness at bay.

"Okay, okay, simmer down," the old man pacified firmly. He bit the twig in his mouth and considered his next words. "So, what's got ya all riled up? Lost or something?" He had to make sure the kid remembered what had happened, at least.

The kid seemed to bite back another argument. "We— No... Maybe. What is this place?" He wanted a direct answer. Could someone give him a direct answer?

Cid figured that the kid knew he was indeed in a _different _place. "Well, this here place is called Traverse Town."

"Traverse Town," Sora repeated. "Look... I know this sounds crazy, but... I was from an Island, and this big... black thing... just—" He looked frustrated at his lack of ability to describe what happened and that he was unable to do anything about it. "Did something... I think… I am from another world."

The old man sighed. Looks like the kid did know he was in a different place, at least. As for his friends, well, he would not take too kindly to the more-than-likely truth.

"Is this another world, gramps?" Sora asked, trying to keep his voice strong.

'Gramps' huffed. "Don't call me gramps. The name's Cid!" he corrected. "Anyway..." He cleared his throat. "Well, this sure ain't your island."

Sora sighed, a bitter feeling welling up. "Guess I need to start looking for Riku and Kairi." They had to be safe. They _had_ to be.

He would make sure they would be.

Then for some reason Sora found himself sitting on one of the lobby couches while Cid had gone around the counter to wait for the boy to get himself together so he could talk to him.

The older man waited with a patience that contrasted with his gruff demeanor. As he did, he sized up the kid. Usually he wasn't the one to deal with new lost ones, but it wasn't uncommon for folks to wind up in the first district; usually the longer-residing citizens pointed newcomers towards his shop.

"Oh boy. Hang on." He went behind the counter and opened a trap door that lead to the basement.

In Cid's absence, a thousand and one thoughts muddled in Sora's head like whirlpool— churning and spitting out random 'what ifs', 'hows', and 'whys'. But any question that was on the cusp of forming was swept away and died in his throat before he could even voice them. What was he to do?

What did he know?

The old man came up again holding two steaming cups of tea.

"'Ere," he said, handing Sora his own cup. Sora opened his mouth but was interrupted. "No more words until you finish your Gosh Darn tea. Ya look tired."

The older man was right; Sora did feel tired. It was nighttime, right?

There was a husky and bitter flavor to the tea that lead to an earthy sweet aftertaste. A touch of honey seemed to balance out the more mature flavors.

It did make the boy feel better.

"Old man..."

"Cid, kid. Cid."

"Right... Cid... I don't know what happened. The last thing I remember is I was fighting some things... and my friends and I were on the islands... and then they went away and now I am here. Do you think they got somewhere?"

"Ah... I'm sure they're fine," Cid said, noticing the boy needed some cheer. Whether or not his friends did get away was unknown to the old man. He sure did pray that maybe this kid would be lucky and find them. However, from all the years he had seen folks in this kid's situation, the odds were against him. "Talk to some folks 'round here. Friendly folk. Just don't wander off too far from the first district. Here." Cid handed the boy a small bag. "We've got a currency here that works anywhere. It's called Munny. Use it to get something to eat; looks like you need a meal. I'll try to keep a lookout for ya pals." It was best for the kid to get some closure.

Sora gave a slight 'thank you' and nodded. He probably needed some fresh air to clear his mind. He walked out of the store, not realizing that the old man had taken a phone out.

"Hey Squall," Cid began when Sora was outside. "Yeah, yeah, I don't care what you call yourself. 'Nother kid just showed up, doesn't look too spectacular but you may want to keep an eye on him. Seems like the adventurous type... Hmmm? A key? Don't know whatcha talking about... Oh yeah, the mouse guy. Did he give any specifics? No? Then why are ya telling me this? ...Just make sure the kid doesn't get in trouble where the heartless spawn up."

* * *

The brisk night air was chill and snapped his brain to focus. It lacked the saltiness of the ocean and the sweetness of fruit trees.

Sora did not go that far, actually. He went back to the alleyway he'd woken up in. He felt himself sink to his knees, trying to figure out what just happened.

Riku had disappeared; Sora had thought he'd found Kairi, but then she disappeared too... The strange key... thing... and those black creatures...

It wasn't a dream, right?

If it wasn't, then... how did he end up here?

Where was he?

Were those black creatures even real?

That old guy, Cid, didn't seem to know what he was talking about. The old man was nice but didn't give Sora much information. Seemed like the guy was just trying to comfort Sora by telling him what he wanted to hear like any other adult would to kids.

But, the reality was clear to the boy. He was on his own and lost.

No Islands.

No ocean.

No one familiar.

But no matter what, he had to find his friends.

Without them... without them...

The night sky seemed devoid of many stars.

With that, Sora figured it was best to now navigate this place or see if anyone had seen his friends.

There were people who looked both similar and different from him.

One such very different... person... was what Sora swore looked like a stuffed animal, straight out of Kairi's bedroom.

Only it was walking.

And talking.

It was a little white creature that introduced itself as a moogle when it caught Sora staring at it. It greeted him with a tired voice that told him that it was used to being stared at. All its sentences ended in 'Kupo'. It made it very clear to not touch the little red thing it called a pom pom that dangled from an antennae from its head.

It wasn't just the little guy either. A horse wearing a tweed vest walked by on two legs, followed by a rabbit in shorts. A robot made of colorful blocky parts was reading a book. There was a small fairy conversing with a woman who had large cat ears and a tail.

What looked like a cartoon drawing come to life came rushing down, a staff in its nub of a hand which was smaller than its large blocky head. He was muttering that he was late for his dentist appointment.

Everything was both strange and fantastical, straight out of storybooks and any video game. Some people had larger eyes than him, different proportions even, though not overly grotesque or warped.

There was nothing to prepare Sora for a sight such as this. He needed to sit down.

A growl emitted from his stomach. And something to eat.

There was a little cafe that had ever-burning candles. A drink and a small bite to eat was desperately needed.

And even with his belly full, there was still an empty feeling. The waitress, a lady in a white shirt and green dress, seemed to know his situation.

"Lost, hun?" she asked gently, giving him a warm cup of tea. "It's a mighty fine shock, isn't it? Take your time. Everyone here has too; mine was several years ago, and that other young boy just arrived a few days ago. We'll lend you an ear if you need to vent." Another gentle smile. "First meal is on the house, or at least until you get back on your feet."

Sora did not know what she was trying to say but he had something else to ask her. "Have you seen a boy slightly older than me with silver hair? Or a girl with red hair?"

The lady shook her head. "Sorry, hun. But they may turn up."

So, this was a world of lost people? Sora looked at the boy who had lost his world days ago. The kid looked about his age but far, far more depressed.

The boy must have overheard Sora's conversation. "You're looking for your friends. They may not show up. My home was attacked by shadows..." He muttered and fidgeted ever so slightly. "I got separated from Mom and Dad, and finally came here... I can't find them." The other boy withdrew into himself and simply stared off into the distance. "I don't know what to do...

Sora stood up, having made up his mind. He felt bad for the kid, he really did, but there was no way HE was going to allow himself to mope or become complacent. That was _not _his style.

He did need to get to know this place, though.

There was no point in getting lost.

Traverse Town was divided into three districts, but even the first district had stores stacked upon stores, and alleyways and stairs that twisted and turned but all ended up back at the plaza. There were stores that sold food, clothing, houses, lumber, and even weapons. Even weird ones like staves that Sora didn't think would be too effective in a fight.

He also heard another group talking about someone trying to find a spell book. Sora wanted to be surprised that magic existed, but with a suddenly appearing key sword thing and what those black creatures did, it was kind of hard to.

There was a man in a blue vest guarding a large pair of doors, above which was the label Second District.

"It's a bit dangerous in the second district right now. It's best to find the motel in the first district," the resident told Sora when he walked up.

This wouldn't do.

He was determined to find out what was so 'dangerous' about the second district.

What could be used as a distraction? All he had was a magically appearing key sword thing, and no way to really know the town. An alleyway near the doors seemed to contain a lot of empty crates.

The boy snuck over there stealthily so no one would see him going in.

He needed to take out a lot of pent-up aggression right now, and it was too bad for the boxes for being here. With a smirk and a cracking of his knuckles, Sora went to work.

The guard heard an astounding amount of crunching and cracking and breaking noises coming from a nearby alleyway. He feared the worst that the monsters had gotten in the first district and somehow bypassed the alarm.

He ran in to see much wooden structure and empty boxes had been destroyed. He did not see the young boy from earlier sneaking away by the steep shadows of the walls and crept through the doors.

Sora had always been good at sneaking, in contrast to how boisterous he normally was. It was a habit he'd developed since he was young to skip classes, get away from trouble, and be the ultimate master of hide-and-seek.

The second district was an even larger plaza with fountains, cathedrals with stained glass, even more high-class shops, and shops for machine-making.

That wasn't the important part.

What _was,_ was the person who had just fell in front of him, his body half deteriorating in some black substance. And then, when Sora thought he could not be any more surprised, a pinkish, grey, and blackish heart floated right out of the man's chest as the rest of the inky stuff consumed his body. The heart floated to a black vortex and as the body disappeared, something else appeared from the vortex.

It was humanoid, with an odd jumpsuit and floppy shoes, blood red claws, and a goofy looking helmet that looked like an open mouth.

And those yellow eyes...

'They were here!' Sora thought with anger. The thing disappeared, replaced by the exact same insectoid ones he'd fought back on the island.

They did something to him! Sent him here... or something... Even if that fight with the giant had been a dream, he knew these things were no good.

He wanted to go _home. _He wanted to find his _friends! _They had to be alright!

They _had _to be.

He felt something different about him too. A small tugging sensation, as though asking to be pulled upon.

He did, somehow— somewhere inside of him, and that same key-like sword appeared in his hand.

It was just as odd as before. Sharp but blunt, engraved but smooth. Seemingly made from solid metal but was light enough to wield easily in Sora's hand.

...

Sora may not know where this thing came from or what it really was. He may not know what was fully going on or what was going to happen. But he knew two things.

One, was that this blade could hurt those shadow creatures.

And two, he would use it to take out as many as he could.

The key sword was instantly in his hand, a perfect fit.

"You'll pay!" he snarled before swinging it down. It cut through the creatures like butter; they kept appearing and Sora did not care.

A tall man in leather watched in silence from a place the boy would not spot.

These creatures were simple in their attacks but kept on coming so Sora could not stop— not for one second.

He liked being able to cut these things down. He knew they were at fault; he knew it.

Eventually, they stopped appearing. Sora felt his arms ache and throb from how much he had been swinging.

He wanted to figure out what was going on, but it seemed like the only thing he could do was lash out.

He was good at fighting. Or at least, it was what he liked to do. Whenever he was mad at something, he would try to go after some bullies or spar with someone to calm himself down. Normally whenever he tried, people always told him to stop. And he did because he cared about those who told him to stop, because he didn't want to disappoint them. But Sora would be left feeling like he'd disappointed everyone, and would still feel very angry.

Those who told him to stop were not here anymore. They weren't anywhere...

And all along these paths and stairs did these monsters appear to be cut down whenever Sora had the urge. They scratched along his skin, red lines painted along his arms; yet the boy could not find it in him to care. If his friends were somewhere here...

The boy in red went further into town. To the hotel, the gizmo shop, and the alleyways to clear out any of those creatures he saw.

A lot of lights were on, but doors were tightly shut. There was no one he could ask if anyone had seen Riku and Kairi.

By the time he came back to the first district entrance, Sora was covered in bruises and scratches. Even the odd blade felt heavier. There were fewer people in the plaza now, but Cid's shop seemed to be open. He would ask the old guy again if he had seen his friends.

Cid was less than enthused upon seeing Sora's condition. "GEEZ KID!" he said, jumping over the counter. "What happened to ya? You look like ya got ganged up on by dogs."

"Yeah, didn't realize there were dogs in the neighborhood," the boy muttered, not meeting the older man's concerned gaze.

"Here!" Cid said, gruffly shoving something into Sora's hands.

"What's this?" he asked, holding a kind of plasticky blue sealed flask with a green swirling liquid.

"A potion. Moogles know how to make 'em. Just 'bout the most useful thing out there. Drink it, and it'll take care of all those aches and pains... Well... most of them, at least. You're still gonna need some rest and relaxation. Wait outside, I'm gonna get my friend to take you in for tonight."

Cid shooed him off outside. Sora chugged the potion. It tasted like some sort of chicken soup with a bit more bitterness, but it did indeed make him feel better. Not _completely,_ and he was still tired, but most of the pain had faded.

The plaza was empty now.

"They'll come at you out of nowhere," said a voice from behind his left. Turning around, Sora saw a tall man in leather and belts, with brown hair, a scarred face, and one massive Gun... No, wait, it was a Blade.

No, it was gun...

Blade... thing?

"And they'll keep on coming at you," the man continued, pointing at Sora, "As long as you continue to wield the Keyblade."

Well this was a welcome greeting. Sora backed away; this guy was dangerous.

"But why? Why would it choose a kid like you?" The stranger seemed to be talking to himself at this point.

That got the boy's temper pumping. "The heck is that supposed to mean?! You don't know a thing about me!" Sora didn't care about the key thing per se, but he just hated people talking down to him.

"Never mind." The man didn't seem interested. "Now, let's see that Keyblade."

Sora got a wicked idea. "Fine..." he said with a huff and a scowl. He held out the keyblade for the stranger to take. "It's just causing me trouble..."

Leon had expected a fight, but at least this kid _seemed _smart enough to take the easy route.

Meant less of a hassle for the man in leather.

Just as the man was about to take the blade, a surprise punch to the face sent him back.

Sora smirked. "If you want to see it so bad... how about I introduce it to you personally?" He charged at the stranger with the key in hand.

The stranger raised his gunblade to block the attack. He had... _underestimated_ this punk. "Have it your way," he said before pushing Sora back several feet.

When the stranger threw a freaking fireball at his face, Sora knew he was probably outmatched. He proceeded to run to the main plaza— an open-spaced area where he could dodge more easily.

It was all Sora could do to either parry or avoid the stranger's massive sword. The man was stronger than him and they both knew it.

But then, a slightly familiar voice echoed in his mind.

_**["He underest... you, tha- why he- taki-... time. This ca- be -advantage."]**_

The voice wasn't clear and Sora took a slice on his arm when he paused to decipher it, but he got the gist in the end.

Sora fled to one of the alleyways he had checked out earlier, another cluttered one full of stacks of boxes, barrels, and supplies. He ducked into the corner and hid within the shadows.

"It doesn't matter how far you run," the stranger called out. "It's either them or me. The choice should be obvious."

He was right underneath the large stack of crates which Sora had hid behind. The stranger could not see him.

The man found himself behind caught off-guard by boxes falling on him. He dodged most of them but one managed to hit his head.

Regaining focus, a flash of silver sent a sharp pain through his shoulder.

"Y'know... I really hate it when people make choices for me," Sora taunted. He ran towards the cafe, hoping his next trick would work as planned.

The man seemed to have run out of patience as he was now running after Sora. The boy heard that fireball charging sound and had to act fast. He grabbed one of the magical candles near the cafe and desperately hoped this would work. He hurled it just before the man threw the fireball.

They collided into a large burst of flames and just in case that hadn't taken care of the guy, Sora charged in with the key and rammed the stranger right in the chest. It knocked the man down.

Sora tumbled down as well, truly feeling like he'd hit a cement wall. He tried getting up and saw the man on his knees.

"That's... what... you... get... when..." Sora could not finish his sentence as his world went black.

The man got up, feeling sore but far from the worst he'd ever been. This kid was a lot of trouble.

"Aw, you're slippin', Leon," a voice from behind him teased. Yuffie stood there smirking. She must have seen the whole thing.

"I went easy on him." This was true; it hadn't required his full power to wear this kid out when the boy was already on his last fumes.

But it will be a cold day indeed before Leon would ever admit how many times he'd been caught off-guard.

Yuffie already seemed to know this as told by her smile, but said nothing.

"Looks like things are worse than we thought. A lot worse," Leon said, looking over the boy's unconscious form. The kid's swordplay was sloppy, and he was going to need a lot more strength to be whatever that mouse king required.

"THE HECK, LEON?!" an old, gruff voice came from the accessory shop. It was Cid, looking both perplexed and angry. "The heck did ya do to that kid?!" Despite his age, Cid was still nimble when he ran down the stairs towards the collapsed boy. "Did ya have to beat him up? I just gave him a potion, earlier. I was gonna call you so he could rest at your place!"

"This kid is the Keyblade Master and he was already getting himself in trouble by fighting the heartless in the second district. He needed to be taught a lesson," Leon said, not at all phased by the older man's glare.

"Oh, and you think attacking the kid is going to make him want to listen to you? Got a real good plan there, Squall; real good." Cid turned to Yuffie. "Help this kid to the hotel room. He's going to need something more comfortable than his shack," he said, pointing at Leon.

End of Chapter 6

* * *

**Fights gotta be more interesting than swiping each other with swords.**

**FF characters and other characters, in general, are gonna have a lot more investment into this story including some more original moments.**

**Its a story, not a game.**

**Also for why I am writing keyblade boy so aggro... well, he's in a strange place with nothing but monsters.**

**Some people may go blank in the emotion department. Some people may cry.**

**Some people put on a smile.**

**Some people get angry.**


	7. Chapter 7

Now things are starting to get interesting and we delve how I am trying to let the KH1 story be an actual story with interactions and Sora building these relationships with all the characters... and how to relationships differ. The chapter was Edited by Mod B whom I thank for the swift editing.

* * *

_A Fragment of a Fragment  
_By True-InTha-Blue  
Chapter 7  
_Alone_

"Oh? So, you made it back."

Sora found himself on the eerie platform in the same scenario, the air tasted thin.

Vanitas could not really pinpoint the emotions that flowed within himself without the aid of his unversed. And yet without them, he could feel the familiarity of amusement, excitement even. Anticipation and the glee he got whenever Ventus got to feel a sliver of Vanitas' own torment.

Everything was shaping up.

The boy came back and now it was time to plant a few seeds.

"I would say good job..." The masked boy began, "If it wasn't for the fact of how pathetically you got defeated."

Sora glowered at the figure, "Like you could do anything."

"Oh! If I could have I would, believe me. But is that anyway to thank the guy who gave you some advice? It took an awful lot of energy just to get that message to you. I got knocked out as well."

The boy pouted not wanting to admit that the advice did help, "I'll get that guy next time."

"Let me tell you something," Vanitas said sharply, "Most times, there is never a **'next time'**.

Make _sure_ that doesn't happen. You're lucky this guy only wanted to test your abilities. But now it's time to stop playing kids games."

It was best to cut out any confidence early. It kept you from going to an early grave.

The boy huffed making Vanitas' tone grow sharper, "You have a lot to learn before you're ready to wield a keyblade. Make sure you're not dead before then."

A chill shivered down Sora's spine. Would it come to that? But the masked boy said something important.

"A keyblade?" This weapon did look like a key, "So, this thing?" He held it up.

"That's right. That blade can do a lot of things, but it can only go so far if the wielder is weak and lacks resolve," There was a sneer in the figure's voice which sent blood pounding to Sora's ears.

He bit back a retort remembering an important detail, "You said if I came back here, you would tell me where this is and who you are. I did, now tell me!" He got up as though ready to force it out of the stranger person.

Vanitas laughed, "I never said I promised." Sora tightened his grip on the keyblade, "Stop getting so riled up, you make it way too easy."

He got up as well, "Fine, I'll tell you. This place," He gestured out to the far wide abyss of multiple platforms of different colors, to the surface they stood one featuring Sora himself, "Is your heart."

That drew a skeptical look from said boy, "My heart?" He pointed to where the organ would be in his chest.

"More than that lump of tissue in your body. Your being, your soul. Everything that makes you, you, are represented here," Vanitas explained, slowly circling the boy.

"It's your most precious thing. It what makes you able to wield that keyblade," He pointed to the silver key.

Why did it look so familiar to Vanitas?

Sora did not take his eyes off the prowling masked one, "And you are?"

Vanitas paused; he had been wondering about how to answer this for some time, "I'm..." He trailed off, "Your darkness," Luckily Sora could not see the smirk behind his mask.

Sora certainly did not expect that answer, "My darkness? Isn't that…bad stuff?" When he thought of darkness, what came to mind were those creatures.

"Bad stuff?" His 'darkness' quirked his head, "Yes, you could certainly say that." Nothing has ever been good for Vanitas, a _pure_ being of darkness. No…nothing was ever good about it or him_._

"Anger, hate, sadness…desire…all of those things you keep hidden inside," He began to walk again, "That's certainly bad stuff…depending on how you use them."

He pointed at the keyblade, "That blade of yours can also be used for _very bad stuff. Very bad._ Depending on how you use it…" He trailed off to let the boy figure out what he was saying.

Sora looked at the keyblade, "Wait, so–what your saying is…" Everything began to go hazy, yet that train of thought was ringing clear.

"I'll give you time to think about it. Let's see how long it takes for you to come back again…" Behind that mask, a smirk appeared, "…Sora."

The dark being watched as the boy disappeared and a strange light glowed somewhere in that boy's heart where he could not reach.

* * *

Riku could not find his friends in this new world were water ran up and landmass floated.

Something found him.

And upon being found, would Riku know what to do?

* * *

Donald and Goofy had been searching the town for about a day when they called it a night. They would sleep in the gummi ship again to avoid paying the fare to a hotel, they had no munny.

* * *

"Come on, lazy bum. Wake up," Sora felt joy even before opening his eyes. It couldn't be…could it?

His body felt like lead and his head full of cotton, but his heart soared at the sight of the red hair and indigo eyes that reminded him of the sunset and sea respectively.

"You okay?" She asked.

Sora couldn't even speak only nodding his head, too enthralled at the fact that Kairi was okay!

"Those creatures that attacked you are after the Keyblade," she continued though Sora could only hear every other world because of the ringing in his head, "But it's your heart they really want, because you wield the Keyblade."

Sora smiled, "I'm so glad that you're okay, Kairi!"

'Kairi' got a confused look, "Kairi? Who are you talking about?" Her voice changed and Sora's vision began to blur again, "I'm the great ninja Yuffie," 'Kairi' turned into a taller, older teenager with black hair and strange garb.

Sora felt his heart plummet.

"I think you might've overdone it, Squall," She said to the man leaning against the door.

"It's Leon," Said man said grumpily.

"WHO THE HECK ARE YOU?!" Sora yelled, hastily getting up. Whenever he became confused and disheartened, he defaulted to feeling angry. It seemed to be happening much more recently. He wanted to get back at the man who ran him ragged, but his head swam, and he was forced to sit back down.

Yuffie put a hand on his shoulder to steady him. She was gentle about it, there was no hostility from her touch. The man in leather was indifferent to the boy's outburst, uncaring even.

Sora saw his keyblade at the door. Remembering what his darkness called it, "The keyblade…"

_**["C-ll it t- …ou."]**_

The voice in his mind whispered. Barely audible but Sora thought he knew what it was saying.

Ignorant to the mental conversation, Yuffie got up to explain, "Yeah, we had to get it away from you to shake off those creatures."

"It turns out that's how they were tracking you. It was the only way to conceal your heart from them." Leon said still semi glaring at the boy, "But it won't work for long."

Not much made sense to Sora. It sounded like they decided things for him without telling him anything.

Oh right, an example would be when this dude decided to try to take the keyblade by force and beat him up instead of explaining _ANYTHING._

Said man in question was not making a better impression by saying, "Still hard to believe that you of all people are the chosen one," He said picking up the keyblade.

Sora raised his arm to call it back and it instantly appeared in his hand. Those blue eyes were furious, "Well excuse me for not being the chosen hero or some crap!"

Sora said angrily getting up, "It's not like I had an instruction manual for anything! Because if you have one, I would certainly appreciate having it. Or are you just going to beat me up again on principle?!"

Yuffie shrugged, "Yeah, this probably wasn't the best idea," She muttered.

"Keep ya pants on kid," A gruff voice came from another door off to the right. Cid was walking through it carrying a plate of cookies and a mug of something steaming.

"Geez Squall, As I was saying; you don't beat up random kids who just lost their home, key or no key," He went over to Sora and waved to calm the kid down.

"Gramps?" The boy was confused at the man's presence.

"I told ya, it's Cid," he said gruffly while checking the kid out for any injuries. Aerith did a good job at healing him, but he was far too agitated to be healthy.

"Sit down ya punk. You've been sleeping for a day and still need to recover. And drink your gosh darn tea!" He said all but shoving the mug to the boy.

Maybe it was the smell of cookies, or that his body did indeed feel tired, or, the fact Cid seemed more concerned about him rather than the keyblade and reminded him of the older wise sailors who told the best stories back at home, but Sora did as he was told.

The keyblade disappeared and while Sora was still on edge, the older man seemed to be at least trustworthy.

"Well, lucky we have Cid around," The ninja said, happy they didn't have to resort to violence.

"Y'know these guys?" He asked Cid casting a quick glare at the other two. More at Leon than Yuffie.

Cid scratched his head, "Yeah…" He admitted. "More than just know em, took care of them when we lost our home too kid," He set down the plate of cookies on the nightstand and took his own cup of tea on the table.

"Knew you would be trouble, so I called Squall to keep an eye on ya," He glared at the other man, "Didn't know that meant taking out a sword."

The vindictive feeling in Sora vanished when Cid thumped him on the head, "And I thought I told ya not to go wandering off to the other districts. Everyone was on high alert cause the heartless ain't no joke when they show up."

Cid got up and sighed at the mess this ragtag group was in. "All of you are a real piece of work."

"Beggars can't be choosers," Leon said not pleased at the current situation either.

Sora took a cookie but didn't eat it, "Nothing anyone is saying is making sense. I don't know why I have this thing or what it's here for or what those creatures are or even what they want." He said in emphasis with the cookie, "I just want to find my friends." Yuffie had taken a cookie to nibble on, she was silent.

Cid sighed, "I don't know if your friends will end up here or some other world."

"Navigating worlds are difficult," Leon said not taking a cookie.

"So, there are other worlds." Sora said, "…" He swallowed. The next question, he didn't want to know the answer, "What…happened to my world?" The room became silent.

"Heartless devour worlds," Leon said bluntly.

The newly chosen Keyblade wielder, felt his heart sink.

* * *

It was agreed, that Sora would be staying with Cid. Judging how Sora kept glaring at Leon, it wouldn't be a good idea for him to bunk with the warrior.

So, Sora resided in a small apartment on a couch with Cid in the First District. Not for free of course. Sora would be Cid's assistant.

Sora agreed as:

1.) He wanted to see if his friends ever showed up.

2.) He had no place to stay.

3.) He wanted to destroy more heartless.

Sora looked at the guest room (or converted office space) that now had a futon right in the middle of it with the desk and other mechanical parts shoved to the corners of the room. Seemed a tiny bit dusty.

Better than sleeping on the floor Sora thought with reluctance. The boy felt restless, but his body was still tired from all the fighting he had done with Leon and those heartless as he had now learned their names.

It was the fatigue that was keeping Sora from going out to town again in search for his friends. That and a quick bop on his head from the shop owner whose apartment he was staying in, put those plans on hold.

Dinner was smoked meats, roasted corn and mushroom soup. And while none of those were strange or alien foods, there was something distinctly different in their flavor. Like somehow the corn was too sweet or the meat seemed less salty. No, that wasn't it.

Dinner was a quiet affair. Cid seemed to not like this, "So—ah, ya adjusting well?" Cid said after swallowing a mouth full of pork. Blue eyes peaked over the roasted corn in his hands.

"Yeah…" Typical teenage response.

"Well, I know the futon isn't the nicest of places to be. But better than staying in the hotels. They are usually crammed especially in the first district when the heartless start going into the second or third districts, everybody gotta stay over here. So, it's tight spaces and whatnot."

Sora put down his corn, "Don't they move into houses?"

Cid grunted, "Of course! When they become available. We're always building houses and furniture for new folk here. But we're still a town and things gotta be registered. We're registering your papers right now."

"I'm not staying," Sora said suddenly.

A huff, "Well ya can't just go off to the wilderness. Beyond the walls, there are some nasty stuff lurking about. Worse than heartless most of the time. However, unlike those dark creepy punks, the creatures are more than happy to keepin' to the wilds."

The shop keeper lifted his forearm. There was a large white scar from the elbow to the wrist. It was faded but the size of it was no laughing matter, "Got this thing when me and the others landed here without a clue to what is going on. We were practically the only one's here and yet there was already a town. Strange ain't it? Anyway, I went out to see if there were any towns out here to explain at least anything or something. In the woods I thought I saw someone holding a lantern. But instead of a person, I met a thing with a green head, beady eyes, wearing a robe, and had a knife with that lantern. One cut from that knife got me this and several days' worth of nightmares. And I was wearing armor at that."

Cid told him of several large silhouettes of monsters seen sometimes with their heads over the trees in the wilds and firmly told Sora that no one will be helping him if he decided to go off to the woods alone.

"Besides. While we do set scouting parties, not a single person that arrives here arrives outside the walls. It's like this town draws people who lost their worlds to here or something. I dunno. Point is. You wanna find your friends, they'll end up here."

"Got it. So, once I'm rested, I will go out to town and keep looking for them, right?" Sora asked.

Cid gave Sora a look to tell the boy things would not be that simple.

Between errands for Cid which involved deliveries even to dangerous districts when heartless were around, Sora tagged up with Yuffie and (in his opinion unfortunately) Leon to clear up heartless for periodic moments.

Yuffie was nice, she has some killer techniques with her speed. Apparently, it was part of being a 'ninja' whatever that meant. She could also swipe a belt off a person without them knowing as shown when she did it to both him and Leon.

Leon showed no reaction when she did this having gotten used to it over the years.

Speaking of Leon...

"Keep your back straight when you turn around like that!" The older man barked at Sora when they were taking care of Shadows, the insect like solid black Heartless.

"I was!" Sora barked back before swinging down on another Heartless, they did not get along.

Maybe it was because Sora suckered punch them or maybe it was Leon's 'shoot first, ask questions later' attitude. Whatever the case, they were constantly, constantly insulting each other.

Yuffie wanted to throw shurikens at their heads. But she had to admit, even with the kid being a downright amateur swordsman at best, his determination for destroying heartless was something to behold. Sora would come back bruised and battered but slowly learning each day.

Yuffie knew that originally, Leon was supposed to help train the keyblade master, as instructed by the talking mouse. Unfortunately, there seemed to be a kink in that plan.

There had to be some way for the two to suck up their butthurt and work together. That wasn't the only problem. Heartless kept showing up in increased troves even before Sora got here and the king's emissaries still hadn't popped their heads in. Aerith had been trying to find them but to no avail.

It was all they could do to keep the districts safe.

One day at a time.

One day at a time.

* * *

After a few days since then with Cid, Sora was helping load some extra supplies in a storage crate in one of the further alleys.

"Alright Kid," Cid said closing the storage bin, "Now, I'mma gonna teach you one of the most important skills you can learn here."

"What's that? Magic?"

Cid barked out a hoarse laugh, "I don't know any of that hocus pocus! Naw, I'm gonna teach you how to deal with moogles!"

"Moogles?"

"Y'know! White little furballs with wings and that red thing? There several rules ya need to know when dealing with them!"

"Number One. Never touch the Pom Pom on their heads. That's a sure way to get them to dislike you," they began to walk back to the plaza.

"Two! Don't be fooled by that cute appearance. They are shrewd when dealing with them. Fair, but shrewd. Three: They know things. Get on their good side and you'll benefit. And Number four: If you want to get on their good side, you need to learn how to speak their lingo."

"What's their lingo?" Was it like thieves can't or something? He and Riku tried to learn it to plan their pranks in secret and pass hidden messages but it was way too complicated.

"Kupo," Was all Cid said with the most serious expression in his face. "Learn when to say it, how to say it, and use it properly!"

Gramps proceeded to launch in a long conversation of the proper pronunciations of 'Kupo'. That saying it at the end of a sentence is usually polite but not to overuse it. Never use Kupo in front of a sentence when speaking to someone of higher rank, which in the moogles eyes, is every moogle. Kupo as an adjustive must be used as something as importance.

There were many ways to say Kupo, emphasizing any character or Ku or Po. Even the rare kUPo was expected at times. But only on certain times.

Sora was amazed. Confused. But amazed. And mainly confused.

Moogles also knew how to synthesize items but currently their workshop had an accident so that was off the market for now. But they still made stuff like potions, and ether for the common man to buy and use.

Cid was meeting some Moogles today who needed to get to an area in the third district as they needed one of their own storage bins that contained a machine they needed for their synthesize shop.

Problem was, that path was covered by heartless. Leon was too tall to squeeze in the small area and Yuffie couldn't lift the machine. That left Sora.

"Thank you for coming, Kupo," The moogle addressed Cid, "We hope this can further the recovery process for our shop."

"No problem, Kupo." Cid said asking the waitress as the cafe to get them drinks, "It's might unkupo this had to happen."

"Indeed, kupo. Is this your apprentice, kupo?" The white creature turned to Sora.

"Introduce yourself kid," Cid nudged the boy.

"Oh-" Sora did not realize he would have to use Cid's lessons so soon. "Nice to meet you…Kupo? I'm Sora…Kupo."

"Kupo, your Mog is a bit rough but at least you're trying, kupo."

"Thanks, kupo," Sora said as politely and humbly as he could.

"Kupo! That's better!"

Cid would get some of the accessories that moogles could make without their shop for discount for this, so he could sell at his own shop.

There was a lot of business stuff that Sora didn't understand. It all went over his head as usual when adults talked. Felt like he was just there as a vehicle, being told what to do.

Getting into the third district was easy, the door being unlocked now as Sora discovered one of the EXTREMELY useful powers of the keyblade, unlocking anything with a lock from a previous visit there.

Sora was tempted to use it on the locked doors on some houses (for purely experimental usage) but he was already on bad terms with Leon and that was a pain. He didn't need Yuffie and Cid to dislike him.

So, he refrained—maybe if he went to another world though…

Heartless began to appear almost when he made five steps in. Those shadows, they were simple but appeared in so many hoards that it was tricky to keep track of them all. They wore you down and tried to swarm over you. That's how they got most people. While Sora usually ended up with a lot of scrapes and scratches, with the keyblade he ended up cutting them down faster than they could show up.

It was satisfying to take these things down.

It kept the thoughts that his friends and home was gone at bay.

They took people's hearts. That's what the others told him. They were attracted by the darkness in people's hearts.

Sora wondered why beings of darkness wanted more darkness though?

Speaking of that and hearts, he had been unable to contact 'his darkness' again. Did…other people have personifications of dark desires? Or could anyone be aware in their heart? A lot of strange things have happened recently, and Sora didn't know if losing the islands or gaining the keyblade were the cause of it; Sora couldn't make heads or tails of where to start.

By the by, that dude in his heart, Sora did not know _if_ he wanted to see the guy. If darkness made the heartless, then wouldn't any darkness, even if his, would be bad?

He found the moogle alley, there wasn't much in it to start with besides the storage crate with the machine in it. He cleared out so many heartless that none were attracted to his path when he lugged the thing back.

He was earning Munny and learning how to fight heartless through experience, but Sora wanted to get out there and search for his friends. He needed to!

Riku and Kairi.

Were they okay? Were heartless at the place they were? Could they fend them off?

Those questions ate him alive.

* * *

"Where's that Key?!" Donald Duck, Court Magician and infamously known for his temper barked as they walked down an alley. This was the 7th day they wandered around this forsaken town. It had so many twists and turns and dead ends!

"Gawrsh, maybe they're hiding like everyone else. There's nobody here after all, sure is spooky!" Goofy, Captain of the Guard and surprisingly insightful, said as they tread along by a canal.

"Phooey! I'm not scward!" However, a tap on the duck's shoulder countered that statement causing said duck to jump 10 feet in the air.

"Excuse me." A gentle voice began. "Did the king send you?"

And thus, the step in the right direction had begun.

* * *

It was another day, and Sora's temper had not gotten better. In fact, his worry about his friends had proceeded to get near a breaking point. What did break it was an outing to clear out some heartless in the hotel with Leon.

Yuffie was not there.

The two sword wielders still didn't get along with each other; each sentence said had an underlying or absolutely direct insult hurled at the other.

Not to mention both had gotten to the point where they were competing to destroy as many heartless as they could in a way to prove superiority or authority.

It wasn't a friendly one.

Every slight mistake was an excuse to grind the other's gears. They had just gotten to the main plaza in the second district where it boiled over.

"Why would the keyblade choose a brat like you?" Leon finally said as he destroyed another shadow.

Sora snarled as he launched himself at another shadow, "Why did I have to be stuck with your ugly face?"

"Have you looked in the mirror lately?"

"With how you look, neither have you!"

The metaphorical daggers they were throwing at each other was more than visible from any onlooker. Unfortunately, any onlookers were heartless, and they were only after one thing.

"You know nothing," Leon grunted slicing away two more heartless.

"That's because no one ever tells me anything!" Sora snarled. He was so fed up. No results in finding Riku and Kairi and even destroying heartless got old. He didn't really care about clearing out the districts for these people.

He wanted to find out where his world went and where his friends were.

And maybe why he had this keyblade thing?

"Ever think more about yourself?" Leon asked scathingly as the heartless disappeared.

Think about himself? Think about _himself?_

That was the exact opposite to what he had been doing. From the very start, every day, had been about finding his friends and even ANYONE from the islands. But nothing came, no sign of anyone familiar.

No. Sora would say he was not thinking about himself.

Furious, the boy stomped off towards an alleyway in the second district. If Leon or Squall or whatever wouldn't understand than he…he…

He…

Would do what?

Nothing was the same.

Of course it wasn't! He was in another world. Monsters were everywhere! People could use magic. There were no oceans in sight! The sky was eternally night! And not a single familiar thing in sight.

Nothing.

Defeating heartless here wasn't doing anything.

His body felt drained at this point. It was probably 'nighttime' right now. But he had no way to go back and he certainly did not want to go back where undoubtedly Leon would be. Yuffie and Cid would probably hear about what happened and then…well...

He found a glass door that looked pristine and unlocked. He had a little badge that allowed him shelter in places in case he ever got overwhelmed by heartless, so going in a house was not unheard off for someone who defended the town.

The lights were on, but no one seemed to be home. He traveled several rooms, until he reached probably the last room. Two dalmatians, probably a male and a female.

Sora had never seen more depressed dogs. They seemed heartbroken, like they lost…Everything.

"You don't know where to start either?" Sora asked them, sitting against the wall. Maybe it was his imagination, but he swore he saw the dogs nod.

"It's hard. I feel stuck. I don't know what to do..." He continued to stare at the hard walls, thinking of all the dead-end attempts to get off of this world to find those who he loved.

His eyes felt heavy.

Those thoughts ceased.

He felt cold glass against his face right after.

A cold chuckled was all that was needed to tell him where he was.

"I can't believe I am saying this, but I missed you," The tone was mocking. The darkness seemed to be having a swell time.

"What do you want?" Sora asked getting up. He kept sitting like the masked figure before him.

"Can't say..." The figure seemed to be thinking about it, "Unless you know what you want. I'm your darkness. Remember? I can't do _anything_ proper unless you get your stupid self together."

He got up; Sora was up in an instant. He was always on edge with this guy. Half the time it felt like the darkness wanted to attack him.

Which makes sense considering he was fighting darkness as heartless who attacked people. "I take it back," The figure said watching Sora be on guard, "You're not completely stupid. You don't trust me and that's good. You should always be on guard with your darkness."

"Shouldn't you be telling me to trust you so you could take over?" Sora countered.

This only amused the masked figure. "I really enjoy these talks of ours. But, alas, I may be those thoughts and desires you don't want to see, but even I want you to move on," The figure began to walk away, posing dramatically.

"Your emotions have been such a wreck recently. Can't tell if it's a good day or a bad day. Very different from the islands no?" Sora's expression became alarmed at the mention of the islands.

"What? I'm part of your heart, idiot. I know your memories," He turned to Sora, clutching his chest as though in pain. "So _near_ and _dear_ to everything you are! Taken away so harshly! Ripped from your very hands!" He got a bit closer tilting his head, inquisitive and his voice quiet.

"And there was nothing you could do about it," He sounded almost sad. Almost, "Like a natural disaster…like a wave coming towards you."

He paused and went for the kill.

"Like those dogs…you were useless when what was most _precious _to you, was taken away."

Sora gritted his teeth but said nothing. The guy was correct. He hated the fact he had been useless! Even with this supposed special keyblade, he still lost his island. It was his inability to do anything. For the islands. For his friends.

If they were in danger…he could do nothing now.

He was unable to get out of this world now either. He was stuck in a loop of powerlessness.

"Don't you see?" The figure gestured to Sora, as though pleading, "This is your problem. Now," He stood up straight taking another step closer. Another step closer to his goal.

The thorns around the pillar flowed as though in the wind.

"Let's find a solution. Because _unlike_ those dogs. Unlike the others…you have something they do not."

"What's that?" Sora asked. It's like this guy could—well—he lived in his heart. Of course, the guy could read his heart.

He was uncomfortable with someone who could decipher him so easily.

"You're light. What you desire…and me."

"You?" Sora knew what the guy was getting out. It drew another ominous chuckle from the guy.

"Yes. As a being of your heart..." He pointed to the Keyblade. "I know more about using a keyblade then probably anyone else you will encounter. After all, that weapon is a part of your heart as well. It can use both its light and its darkness. But even than that can do so much."

Sora hesitated. He felt…odd. He felt itchy just standing there. Like he knew he should trust the person claiming to be 'his darkness' but...

He had to find his friends.

Without them...

Without them...

"So, what do I need to do?" Sora asked, still cautious but willing to listen.

Vanitas wished he could sink claws in that boy. The helmet hid that malicious smile, it was almost like obtaining the X-blade! This ecstasy.

"_Learn_," The figure said like it was the simplest thing in the world, nigh a whisper. "I know it's tough to suck up that pride of yours, _but_ that just makes you ignorant and allows the darkness, that which those heartless represent, to consume you. They feed on those who are ignorant. Those who think that they can completely control them."

The boy wondered if the figure was trying to say he was different from the heartless. How so? Was it because the masked figure was inside his heart?

Once again Vanitas struck deeper to Sora's motivations, "The real question is, what are you willing to do to be able to fight against which you are helpless against?"

Sora gritted his teeth. He knew, that this was dangerous. Everything about the figure was dangerous! Everything.

But…the guy wanted to help Sora…At least it seemed like it. He had to be careful. Very careful.

"What are _you_ saying I should do?" Blue eyes watched the figure closely.

'Dumb but not that dumb. Already an improvement.' Vanitas thought before answering. "Me?" He said pointing to himself, "Well, I'm flattered you asked. If...your willing...When dealing with others...Use them."

"Use them?!" Sora was taken aback! That sounded like the wrong thing to do. The type of things that villains did!

The figure turned around. "I'm not saying to use them to do bad things or mistreat them…_Unless _they deserve it…But for most people, that's a sure way to get yourself into some deep trouble."

He turned back to Sora, "Merely, try to learn from them. They have resources you need. Skills, information, supplies, that sort of thing," He said all too casually. He pointed at the keyblade again. "If your hesitant about it, then I guarantee you, they'll be using you. In fact, they already are. Leon, Yuffie, Cid. They all have been using you for their own gain, don't you see?"

The shocked look Sora made soon turned into realization... and then the look that he already knew.

"That's right. That keyblade is an instant solution to dealing with heartless. The hearts are released, and they can't be turned back into darkness, and that means less heartless. Win, Win for a lot of folk. But what about you? Yeah," He began to walk around Sora who this time wasn't keeping his eyes on the figure, "It's a good thing to help other people, but it really doesn't help you in the long run. What about your islands? What about Riku? What about Kairi?"

He got a bit closer to Sora from behind. Not too close but enough, "No matter where you _go,_ somebody will always be wanting to _use_ you because your wield a keyblade. This time he got closer to Sora's ear, "So why not use them back?"

Sora jumped away realizing how close the figure had gotten. He was panting heavily; he didn't know why but his heartbeat was racing.

"I-I-"

"Look!" The figure said walking away again. "You don't have to answer me right away. Observe, give it some thought. In the end, only you can decide what to do."

The boy thought about it, about what the figure was _saying_, "What, do you get from this?"

A laugh greeted Sora, a slow soft laugh, "You actually care what I get?"

The figure faced Sora completely once again. Face unreadable for the mask only reflected Sora's face, "I want, for you—to not be an _idiot._"

He turned his back immediately right after that, "Get some rest Sora. You'll need it."

He said one more thing.

"I'll _always_ be here when you need me."

The realm faded and Sora had a dream of him and his friends sitting on the pier of the island watching a sunset…

Before a storm overtook them.

End of Chapter 7

* * *

Once again thanks to mod B for the great edits. Hope I did the FF character justice.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi sorry for the wait. Had some stuff to do. Chapter 8! Now we get further into plot and Sora has to start making certain choices.**

**Remember this is kinda a retelling of KH1 but with a 'What if' added to it. I don't intend to get off plot much, except extend upon it. Sorry for the lack of Sokai and Vanitas boi in the chappy.**

**This chapter has been edited by Mod M. Thank you so much mate**.  
x

_A Fragment of a Fragment  
_By True-InTha-Blue  
Chapter 8

_'Uses'_  
x

Leon walked -he did not stomp- towards his house in the Third District. The first floor was more of a dingy storage room; it was the attic that had the bedrooms- several walled off rooms each containing the personal belongings of their small group. It was always collecting dust; the electricity was poorly routed. No one really knew how to cook except Aerith. The fridge was full of three-day-old leftovers and the attic got so hot during the summer that they'd rather sleep on the couch in the accessory shop.

It was his and his friends' home for several years.

"Oh boy. I bet it didn't go so well," Yuffie called from her attic room.

Leon sighed, hating that she was able to detect slight changes in people's demeanor. Curtesy of that darn ninja training... _and_ Aerith teaching her.

There was no way she would let a topic drop, so begrudgingly he leaned back against the doorframe.

Yuffie was on the bed with ice over her ankle. A nasty hoard of Heartless had managed to nick her badly. A potion had patched it up, but it was best to keep rested for a faster recovery.

"So... who ditched who first?" she said jokingly, though there was a part of her that didn't want to know.

"The kid did," Leon almost growled. "He left in a hissy fit. Doesn't think about anyone except himself."

"Oh boy," Yuffie said, leaning back. "Huh... Kinda sounds familiar." She hid her smirk.

"Is that so?" the man challenged her to explain further.

"Nothing," Yuffie concluded. "I'm sure that kid is alright. He may be a bit thick headed, but at least he can handle himself. For the most part..."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Yuffie shrugged. "He's in a crazy state right now. One moment he seems fine and the next... This." She made a random gesture all around.

Leon took her bait, with much reluctance. "What is 'this'?" He gestured around like she did.

"Being in a new place?" Yuffie got up and looked out the window. The plaza in the Third District had people in it, everyone having returned since the Heartless had been cleared up earlier. There was a group of children who were playing with each other- a rare sight. "I know you don't get out much-" Leon shot her a glare. "But it happens every time somebody winds up here. First they're confused. Then they're sad and then angry. Happens like clockwork," she said with a twirl of her finger. "With that kid, it just so happens he can _actually _lash out at his problems instead of just going through the motions. Most people are too scared to even go against the heartless. If you think about it, the kid is nearly how you were when we first ended up here."

Leon wanted to refute that, but his mind was already treading back to a painful time- a time when he and his friends were young, and Cid was young-_ish._ Their little group had been running away from Heartless back in their original homeworld before darkness took them. Next thing they knew, they had woken up in a new place with strange buildings, nearly alone in a ghost town of endless night.

No voices but their own and the wind... Before long though, others had joined them and told them about similar situations with the other worlds, filling in with their own pasts and experiences- the knowledge of Ansem and 'the Key' and how it could save them all. But for years, no one had held the 'the Key'.

It was not hard to figure out that their world was probably either overrun by the Heartless or destroyed. All their friends and family were either lost, floating in some type of abyss or limbo, or turned into Heartless themselves.

As a younger person, Leon felt a desperation to cling onto something regarding what had been lost. He was the most combat-oriented of the group, so it was he who took charge in protecting his friends, refusing when the others offered to help, even pushing them away so they wouldn't have to deal with how cruel reality had been to them.

Of course, they went behind his back. Yuffie learning ninjutsu, Aerith learning magic, and Cid making all sorts of contraptions to keep the town safe.

Leon had been furious at them, demanding they quit. They told him he was being insufferable, and he couldn't do everything alone.

It took a long time for Leon to realize that and start working with his friends who he had left behind.

That had only happened a few years ago.

Leon let out a low, painful, and tired groan. Yuffie waited for this to end.

And waited. And waited.

Until he was done and had his head against the wall, as though in pain.

"Ya done yet?" she asked with a smirk.

"I don't want to apologize to the brat," was all he said. He wanted to sulk. Actually he was.

That was such a...

Not surprise.

"You're as much a drama queen as you were five years ago." Yuffie knew that for all his gruffness and tough-guy persona, he was prone to sulking like a child.

"Look, I'm not saying you have to apologize; just kinda reassure him. He's a lost kid who doesn't know what's going on. It was the same with us nine years ago. Unlike us though, he didn't come with anyone. He doesn't know if any of his friends made it. That's really his only hope to keep him going instead of the usual depression most folk get. It has gotten a lot worse in the last months. People unable to go on. The slight chance his friends are out there is his last hope. And we need that hope too, so he can be the Keyblade Master." Yuffie showed her wisdom in that moment.

Leon grunted, not agreeing nor disagreeing.

"So, do what you need to do. The King entrusted you to guide that little guy on the right path... whatever that means," she said all too casually before laying back down. Her piece was said.

The Gunblade-user was disgruntled, but he wasn't stubborn enough to know what he was doing was wrong.

The boy was irritating, but it was probably because he reminded Leon of his younger reckless and angry self.

The kid couldn't afford to wait several years to master the blade through experience. The Heartless were invading rapidly each day. Something big was coming.

* * *

Aerith had been educating her new guests, an odd duck and an odd dog. Like their King, they had been aware of other worlds, and knew those worlds were supposed to be a secret. She informed them about the Heartless interfering with the affairs of the worlds and making them connected.

She told them about the nature of the Heartless, those without hearts- embodiments of darkness and those who were lost to it, who seek out darkness in others' hearts. It was amazing that these two had not encountered any Heartless while they had been searching for the Key Bearer.

Aerith told them everything that could be pieced together from the small reports from their leader Ansem- who had been trying to prevent the invading darkness.

She explained these reports had been scattered throughout space. The tall one wanted to find their King who probably went to look for the reports. However, the short one said they had to find 'the Key'.

"The Key Bearer is already here," Aerith said to them. "He has been helping us keep the Heartless at bay from the town. They focus on him, and thus, it is easier for him to slay them, and prevent the lost hearts from going back into their clutches."

"Gawrsh! Let's go find him!" Goofy declared, excited about getting so close to their objective.

Donald nodded. "Annd withe him, we cwan fwind the King!"

"Hmmm..." A small voice came from Goofy's hat. Jiminy Cricket pondered their objective.

How would the one with the 'Key' know where the King was? Did the King want the Key to find him or was there something else the Key must do?

As always Jiminy would record the activities and see where things would lead too. And as always, as a Conscience he would lend sound advice.

"Right now, the Second District is on high alert. It's best we wait until they get cleared out and then I will take you to him."

Aerith felt like something foreboding was coming.

* * *

Sora awoke with a gasp. That dream!

And that... not-dream.

His talks with the figure felt very, very different from a dream. They were too detailed, too vivid.

The two dogs were asleep- huddled together and trying to draw comfort in a place that seemed to offer no solution to their problem. There was nothing they could do.

Next thing, to Sora's surprise, Leon came through the door so suddenly.

"So, this is where you are," he said all too casually before looking at the dalmatians.

Sora kept any smart remarks to himself.

'_**I know it's tough to suck up that pride of yours... But that just makes you ignorant...' **_

For some reason, that dark being's words were ringing in his head. So, he listened to what Leon had to say.

"These Dalmatians, Pongo and Perdita, lost all their puppies when their world got destroyed. No matter what, they won't be the same until they get those puppies back." He turned to Sora. "It's scary, being in a place without anyone you're familiar with."

Blue eyes looked closely at the older man. Sora wondered what Leon was aiming for here. Sympathy?

Leon looked at Sora, stern but not glaring. "I was like that too, when I first lost my world."

The chosen boy was still silent, considering these words along with the advice given to him. He would swallow his pride in order to get stronger... in order to find his friends.

"I'm sorry too," Sora admitted with difficulty. He didn't feel too sorry, especially not for sucker-punching Leon when the guy had tried to take the Keyblade, but he was willing to work with the Griever. "I'm willing to.. do what I have to. I was just scared like you said."

That sounded a bit too 'rehearsed', but this was as good as it was going to get. The kid was a lot like him.

Stubborn.

Headstrong.

Trying to do everything by himself.

"Alright," Leon said, petting the dalmatians. "Let's go."

Sora slowly got up. He didn't know what to do next, but he would find a way. He **had **to find a way.

* * *

They went back to the Second District. More Heartless had shown up, keeping everyone inside. But for some reason they did not show themselves when Sora and Leon got there.

"Be on your guard," the older man said. "They could be leading us into a trap."

"Are the Heartless _that_ smart? I thought they just acted on instinct," Sora asked.

"Dunno," Leon said. "Can't be too careful."

It was sound advice. They wandered further before encountering Yuffie, who had been scouting earlier.

"This is weird," she said, looking around.

Leon grunted. "You're supposed to be healing."

The ninja waved him off. "Glad to see you two are not biting each other's heads off," she said, hiding a smirk. "It was worse than facing a hoard of Shadows."

She felt the heated glares of both men behind her.

"We need to stick together," Leon said, slowly teaching Sora. "Spreading out doesn't solve anything when dealing with the Heartless."

"He's right," Yuffie confirmed. "Pick it up faster than Squall did, and you'll be better off."

"_It's LEON."_

Yuffie strode confidently on ahead.

Sora stared back at Yuffie and then at Leon and then back at Yuffie. And then proceeded to follow the girl.

The trio began to trek through the paths and alleyways, the streets, and then eventually to the hotel.

In the main hall there was nothing, so they decided to check out the rooms. They started with the green room. Truly it seemed like there was nothing in sight

Finally, Sora broke the silence. A subject he had been wanting to ask for some time "How do I get to other worlds?" he asked, not looking at either of them.

Both the adults looked at each other briefly.

"You need a vessel. One that has already been to the _outside. _They come in a lot of forms but are hard to obtain," Leon answered, knowing that the kid wasn't liking the explanation.

"And how do I do that?" Sora asked, his tone a little bit sterner.

"Can't say," Leon said, his voice not harsh, but not comforting.

That hollow feeling in his chest increased. Sora touched his crown necklace. It was warm from his skin.

It represented both his friends.

His dearest friends.

All that was there.

...He had to find a way.

...Anything.

_**["Anything?"] **_that dark voiced asked.

But that was interrupted by Yuffie speaking.

"You'll find a way," she said, turning to face Sora. Her expression was warm. "I have a feeling you're the type of guy who finds what he needs." She patted Leon on the shoulder. "Just like this doofus here."

Leon cast her a glare before shaking his head at her antics.

Sora _did_ feel a little bit better but the twisted feeling in his gut lingered. "Thanks," he said, feeling like it was more genuine.

Then, Yuffie and Leon tensed up. Sora was startled, when something suddenly appeared in the room without any warning. It was that humanoid Heartless with the red claws.

They appeared in several numbers, clearly out-numbering them in this small room.

"Soldiers! Yuffie, find Aerith!" Leon took command. "Sora, you're with me!" Yuffie bolted out the side door -ignoring the 'WAK!' noise when she opened the door- spotted Aerith and grabbed her to run out as some Soldiers chased after them.

Like clockwork, Sora and Leon lunged forth at the rest of the Soldiers, battering them out the window before leaping after them in the canal alleyway.

Even in the alley, there were hordes of Soldiers appearing everywhere.

"Keep to my back!" Leon shouted. "Don't take your eyes off the enemy. For these small fries, don't give them an inch!"

The Keyblade and the Gunblade began to carve their way through the Heartless. Sora instantly knew the difference between Soldiers and Shadows. Soldiers had slightly more coordination and they hit far harder. If these were small fry, Sora would hate to know what the big guys were like.

They continued until they got to the main plaza of the Second District.

Soldiers were everywhere- up, down, on the stairs, on the roofs, and anywhere else they could physically appear.

"It's an invasion!" Leon shouted to Sora as they continued to bash their way through. "We need to secure the districts. Sora, go to the Third!"

"I thought you said not to split up when dealing with the Heartless!" Sora shouted over clamoring Heartless and the rattling helms.

"Situations change! Always try to adapt!" Leon said before bolting off in the direction of the First District.

"Oh, that's helpful!" Sora grunted fending off the red claws of the Heartless. He began to cut down those who got in his way.

He would make his own path!

He would use this Keyblade to find a way!

The boy charged through the Heartless, slaying them indiscriminately.

He reached the Third District, a big place of neon lights with a fountain of a cute romantic scene of two dogs.

It seemed clear, but one could never be too careful like Leon had said.

As he slowly prowled towards the center, Sora thought he heard something above him. It became far clearer when a duck and a two-legged dog fell on him like a anvil

His vision went black for a moment until he heard "The Key!" called out by the both of them.

Things seemed to change for the worse when a rumbling shook the ground. They wobbled as the tiled floor unleveled and shook and large stone pillars rose up blocking all exits.

They were surrounded. Soldiers kept pouring in from above and tumbled on the ground like rocks.

"Wak! More of them?!" the duck quacked.

Sora barely understood that sentence. No time to consider as the Heartless clicked and clanked towards them. Yellow eyes completely on them.

He charged forth but saw a fireball blazed past him, blasting a Heartless to ash. To his other side, the dog began to twirl so fast he lifted off the ground and started whacking the enemies with his shield.

Knowing that he didn't have to worry about the newcomers, Sora attacked with the fury he was known for.

Soon the Heartless were swept up by magic, shield and keyblade.

But Leon had called these guys 'small fry' for a reason.

There was no time to rest when armor parts fell from the sky, nearly smashing the three before bouncing back up. Like an action figure, they clanked together to form a giant Heartless, that had the same crest the Soldiers did. The black and magenta metal creature made it clear that this would be no easy fight as it loomed over them. The silver claws twitching over so slightly

A large fist was thrown towards them and both the boy and the dog tried to guard but underestimated its power. They were flung back, hitting the duck and knocking all three of them into a wall.

All were dazed but Sora quickly got back up and charged at the enemy.

"WAK! Stop!" Donald cried out, but Sora didn't really understand him and kept ongoing.

The boy sliced at the armor, grazing its legs making sparks and kept at the onslaught. Right when he leapt, a fireball hit his back, making the boy fly and taste the tile of the floor.

"Donald!" the dog cried out in worry.

"I'm sowwy! I didn't know he would jump!"

A growl came from the boy as he struggled to get up. He grabbed a potion in his pocket, chugging it down to decrease the burning sensation on his back. He glared at the duck, already feeling an intense dislike.

The dog charged once again, intending to bash against the spinning arms of the armor. He managed to stop them and send the arms waving up, then he was sent off into Sora who did not expect to be attacked by a dog

"AH! Get off!" Sora grunted, pushing the guy away. He was getting pretty ticked off. After everything, was he going to fail to this heartless too?

Not again.

"Sorry!" the dog said, getting back up, shield ready. Sora did not hear him or maybe not even caring.

Another fire blast came from the duck, but this time making its mark on the heartless' arm. Followed up by Sora slashed at the legs and one of the legs faded. The dog bashed his shield full force into the other leg with the same effect.

Its arms spun again and sent them all back, cutting Sora's torso with a big clean slash of red.

"It's too strong!" the magic-user cried out.

Sora got back up again. "I don't care!" he snarled while charging again. No! He would not fail! He didn't care how many of these stupid things he had to take down. He would tear them apart! Rip through anything that came between him and his friends. He would not die to these creatures.

"Wait!" the shield-user cried, but the boy was a bull in frenzy.

Even if he was only here a short time, he would not allow a repeat of the Islands to happen! That acrid, bile inducing feeling whenever he thought about it. The boiling in his veins at his home! His family! His friends! All those memories and moments!

The armor rose into the sky and brought down its full mass upon those below it.

Sora would make his own path no matter what!

Small dark tendrils appeared at the end of the Keyblade, barely there but enough to leave a streak across the air when he slashed above him, cutting the Heartless in twine.

_**At any cost.**_

The armor faded and multiple hearts emerged from it. The pillars crumbled and there was silence in the courtyard.

Sora panted heavily. His mind rushed with endorphins of his recent success and confusion of what he just did. Slowly he relaxed looking at the tip of the Keyblade. Strenght sapping out of him and the weapon felt made of lead.

What... was _that?_

How did he do that?

Or was it the Keyblade...?

"Hey!" the duck called out from behind him. This time, Sora could make out what was being said.

He glared at them both, unamused by their strange looks.

**[Vanitas could see these two and glowered. Disneys... He HATED Disneys. Despite not having a body, the dark being could feel a migraine well in his head. At what it meant with these idiots coming from that foolish world.]**

"What do you want?!" Sora snapped at the two when they wouldn't stop gawking at him.

The two snapped out of the stupor with the duck marching right up to him. "Whe jwust swaved ywu!" his raspy voice squawked.

Blue eyes narrowed, trying to decipher what he was saying. "What?"

Goofy, knowing his friend was hard to understand at times, stepped in. "Gawrsh, sorry about that. We aren't used to fighting enemies that big. We just saw Heartless just before we... uh-landed on ya."

Something was pacifying about the older one, like he was used to dealing with younglings. "Why did you shoot me?" Sora asked, still feeling a hot sensation on his back. Oh, and there was the wet sensation on his torso and shirt.

"GAK! Dat's because you jwumped up so suddenly!" the magician yelled.

Sora still had a confused look whenever the duck spoke. Once again it was up to Goofy. "What he means is, it was a mistake. You took us by surprise. Why, you were going at it like a natural."

Sora felt odd... dealing with... these two. Well they were a dog and a duck! On two legs! Talking! With clothes on them! Only barely resembling a duck and a dog!

Then again, moogles existed and other odd guys lived in this town. But he didn't really interact with anyone.

"Sora!" Leon, Yuffie, and their friend Aerith came from the First District door. They saw that he had a large gash through his torn short and the lady in pink instantly went to work, laying her hands-on Sora's chest while a soft green glow began to spread across his body. The pain instantly began to fade, and the other two residents turned to the Disneys.

"So, you're the King's emissaries," Leon stated. Needless to say, he was not impressed, but remained tight lipped about it.

"Sure are. So, you've seen the King?" the tall one asked.

"'Fraid only briefly," Yuffie said while surveying the damaged district. "He just informed us that you would be looking for this guy." She pointed to Sora.

The duck narrowed his eyes at the boy. "Him?" A feathery finger pointed at him.

Sora made a side glance at the duck but said nothing. Whatever magic Aerith knew was far more effective than any potion.

"Well, how about that!" Goofy was already happy to see the boy they found was the Key.

Finally, Sora spoke. "So, what's this about finding me?" he said with a large amount of skepticism.

It was Leon who answered. "They, too, have been seeking the wielder of the Keyblade."

A nasty sensation crept on it. Ire and suspicious began to bloom in his mind upon this.

It was his darkness's words that Sora remembered echoing within it that was the sorce.

'_**No matter where you go, somebody will always be wanting to use you because you wield a Keyblade...'**_

The boy knew that this was what the dark being was talking about. "Why?" he asked, turning to the two as his wounds had healed.

"Bwecause our King twold us to, as youw'll lead us to him!" the duck said, this time clear enough for Sora to understand the meaning.

"Why should I?" Sora asked, turning away from them.

Both Disneys were gobsmacked at his response.

The duck's white feathers turned red. "WAAAAAAAK! HOAW CAN YWU THWAT?! IT'S IMPWORTWANT!"

Sora just looked at Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith as though to ask them if they understood what the duck just said.

They didn't meet his eyes.

"Geesh," Goofy said, realizing what the issue was. "I know you don't know us, but it would be mighty helpful if you came with us on our vessel. We could visit other worlds if you're interested." Boys always did like adventure. Goofy knew this from raising his own kid. He briefly hoped Max was okay.

That got Sora to look back at them. "Other... worlds?" Could he find Riku and Kairi? Was this his way? "Would I be able to find my friends?"

"Of cwourse!" the duck said, eager for the Key-boy to join them.

Goofy leaned in to his friend. "Are you sure?"

"Whwo knows?" Donald whispered callously. "Bwut we knweed him to cwome with ush to find the Kwing." He really didn't care what the kid wanted; their King was possibly in danger and they needed the Key to get him back.

"Sora... go with them. Especially if you want to find your friends," Leon said confirming what the boy had been hoping for the past week.

The boy took a good look at the two newcomers and remembered what else the darkness in his heart had said.

'_**So why not use them back?'**_

They had the vessel he needed... to get out and explore the different worlds which by some slim chance Riku or Kairi could've ended up in.

If they had come to Traverse Town, then they would've arrived when he did. That was quickly discovered when a group of people came from another lost world while he was here.

If they want him to go with them, then he would use them just like they would use him. "Okay," he said sternly.

It threw the Disneys off.

"I'm Sora," he said simply, wondering what to call a talking duck and dog.

"Donald Duck," the magician said just as sternly.

"Name's Goofy," the Captain said with cheer.

"And I'm Jiminy!" A cricket in a top hat said from Goofy's hat. "Jiminy Cricket! I shall be chronicling your journey," he said very politely.

It didn't take a genius to know that Sora would be in for a very weird time.

* * *

Far, far away, those who plotted and deceived wished to utilize the Heartless to their own ends, though they were ignorant of the slippery line they themselves walked.

"Did that little squirt take down that Heartless? Who would have thought?"

"It's not the child's strength. It is that of the Keyblade's."

"Eh! We can just turn him into a Heartless. We won't have to worry about a thing, then."

"It will be easy considering how incompetent the King's lackeys are. I mean, look at those bilge rats."

"You're no prize yourself."

A gleam of metal rose up to meet that insult. "Fair be it more you than I!"

"Enough." The voice was chilling, on another level than the rest of them. "The Keyblade has chosen him. Will he be the champion of light? Or will he fall into the dark abyss? Either way, we can use him."

* * *

And in a world that was never supposed to exist, with those who did not belong, a one-eyed man appeared before the tallest throne of his Superior.

"Heeeey! Boss~! Guess what?" the rough voice teased.

Unphased by Number II's antics, the Superior spoke. "I can only imagine." The voice was deep, droning and bode no other to speak. "That a new wielder of the Keyblade has emerged."

"Bingo!" Finger guns. "Found him in that little hub world, Travers... Something... Whatever." The two black coats opposed each other with personality and tone of speech. "Gotta say, doesn't look like much. Don't even know how a kid like him could get one." Number II did not think that the kid had a lot of grit with how he took down that armored Heartless.

"If he is weak, then the Keyblade shall choose a new master. No matter." The Superior was unmoved that the 'Key' to his plans could prove to be a dud. "We can wait."

"I suppose." Number II gave a shrug. Seriously, even without emotions did nothing phase this guy? Couldn't hurt to pretend a little bit. It made conversations more interesting. "Either way, we get what we want from him whether he knows it or not."

X

**Let me know how I do with fight scenes. They are always a challenge to work on.**

**Once again thanks to the editor/beta reader for why any of these chapters actually have good grammar and spelling.**

**Reviews are always appreciated.**


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